CABINET OFFICE

Government Annual Report

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet office if he will reintroduce the Government Annual Report with the contents independently validated.

Douglas Alexander: The Government will continue to report to Parliament and the public on their performance through a variety of means, such as reports, statistical bulletins, ministerial statements and parliamentary questions. The information in the annual report was in any event a collation of existing, publicly available, material and it has therefore been decided not to continue with it.

Central Office of Information

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many members of staff there were in the Central Office of Information on (a) 1 March 1997 and (b) the latest date for which figures are available.

Douglas Alexander: There were 384 (full time equivalent) staff at 31 March 1997 and 364 at 28 February 2003.

TRANSPORT

Railways

Martin Linton: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the outstanding funding issues that require resolution before the East London Line extension project can be taken forward.

David Jamieson: The Strategic Rail Authority has made budgetary provision to develop the project further and to undertake preliminary works, if and when the outstanding planning issues are resolved. It is intended that the main works should be built and financed through a Special Purpose Vehicle and the Authority is discussing with the Department how best to structure this.

Railways

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to develop local rail networks.

David Jamieson: The Secretary of State's Directions and Guidance require the Strategic Rail Authority to have regard to "compatibility and consistency with local transport plans and regional transport strategies." The Authority's Strategic Plan sets out the developments being taken forward over the next 10 years in each area of the country.

Railways

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the announcement of the rail franchise for Wales will be made.

David Jamieson: The Strategic Rail Authority expects to announce the preferred bidder in June. The new franchise is expected to commence this Autumn.

Railways

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement about investment in the national railway infrastructure.

John Spellar: Total investment in the rail industry in 2001–02, excluding rolling stock, was £3.1 billion. The bulk of this is in respect of rail infrastructure. Details of this investment are set out in "National Rail Trends", which is published by the SRA.

Railways

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with the Strategic Rail Authority on the development of a high speed train service throughout the UK.

David Jamieson: We are in regular contact with the Authority over all aspects of railway services. The Authority is currently considering a draft report which it has recently received on the potential viability of a new north to south High Speed Line. The Authority intend to consult on the conclusions of the study later this year.

Train Operating Companies

David Cameron: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what subsidy each of the train operating companies received in each year since 2000–01; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: Details of the subsidy paid to each train operating company, in each year, are set out in the Strategic Rail Authority's annual report, copies of which have been placed in the Libraries of the House.

London Underground

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on future plans for London Underground.

John Spellar: Following completion of the first Public Private Partnership contract on 31 December 2002, the Government expect the remaining two contracts to be completed very soon. The PPP brings in the modernisation the Underground so badly needs.
	The Government want London Underground to transfer to Transport for London as soon as possible, and is working closely with TfL, London Underground and other interested parties to achieve that.

Air Transport

David Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many responses he has received to his consultative document on the future of air transport in the UK.

David Jamieson: We have received over 100,000 responses (letters and questionnaires) to the consultation from all areas of the UK, and the majority originate from the south-east of England and the midlands.

Air Transport

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assumptions were made in the SERAS Air Passenger Forecasting Model in respect of (a) demand transferring to off-peak flights, (b) demand transferring to regional airports and (c) demand transferring to rail, in assessing the consequences for fare levels of a shortfall in airport capacity in the South East; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: The consequences of a shortfall in airport capacity in the South East are an output of the SERAS Air Passenger Forecasting Model, not input assumptions. The model assigns passengers according to their 'least cost' route between the start point of their journey and its end point, as described in the SERAS Stage 2 Methodology Supporting document no 29, "Rules and Modelling." A shortfall in capacity at a specific airport leads to a 'fare premium' to balance demand and supply at that airport. This fare premium is only applied in the model when 'off-peak' flights at the constrained airport have already taken the initial burden of adjustment, so that airport utilisation throughout the day is high. With airport capacity constraints applying in the South East, some traffic with a South East origin is displaced to regional airports, some traffic with a regional origin is clawed back by regional airports, some traffic transfers to other transport modes including rail, and some traffic is suppressed entirely.

Air Transport

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what guidance he gives about the impact on air passengers' and carriers' liability of (a) a war and (b) a terrorist attack.

David Jamieson: The liability of air carriers' is established by international and European law and no further guidance is necessary.

Air Transport

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much aviation fuel was consumed by UK civil aviation in the last year for which figures are available, broken down into fuel consumed by (a) domestic and (b) international air travel.

David Jamieson: Based on data reported by airlines to the Civil Aviation Authority, it is estimated that UK airlines used 10.2 million tonnes of fuel in 2002. Although such fuel usage is reported as a total it is broadly estimated that about 90 per cent. was expended on international aviation and 10 per cent on domestic aviation.

Air Transport

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what airport development options in the South-East other than those described in The Future of Air Transport in the UK: South East he is considering; if those options will be included in the forthcoming white paper on aviation; and what the consultation arrangements for these options are.

David Jamieson: The Government will consider all responses to The Future Development of Air Transport in the United Kingdom: South East submitted by 30 June 2003 including any reasonable alternatives to the options for new airport capacity set out in the consultation document. If the Government concluded that any such alternative schemes were superior to the options in the consultation document and wished to consider including them in the air transport white paper, there would be a full consultation process.

Road Congestion

James Purnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has for tackling congestion on the trunk road network.

David Jamieson: I refer my hon. Friend to the written statement made by the Secretary of State earlier today, at columns 49-50 WS.

A12

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects the Highways Agency will approve a junction from the A12 to the Colchester Northern Approach Road.

David Jamieson: The junction will be approved as soon as all design and safety issues have been addressed. The Highways Agency and the developer have made significant progress and will continue to work closely to resolve this matter as quickly as possible.

Concessionary Travel

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what assistance he provides to local authorities in order that they can provide free rail passes to pensioners entitling them to concessionary rail travel;
	(2)  whether his Department instructs local authorities on the rate at which rail passes should be supplied to pensioners for concessionary rail travel;
	(3)  what discussions he has had with HM Treasury regarding the provision of free (a) passes for pensioners entitling them to concessionary rail travel and (b) off-peak travel on all public transport for all pensioners;
	(4)  what guidelines he issues to local authorities on the provision of rail passes for pensioners entitling them to concessionary travel.

David Jamieson: Beyond the statutory minimum requirement for concessionary travel (half-fare on local buses for older and disabled people, with no charge for the pass) decisions about whether to offer a more generous scheme for bus and rail travel are for the relevant PTAs/local authorities.
	Expenditure on concessionary travel schemes is covered by the contribution that the Government makes to local authorities through the annual grant settlement, including where a PTA/local authority offers consessionary travel on local railways.

Fylde Coast Light Rail Scheme

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with other Government departments about the potential regeneration benefits of the proposed Fylde Coast Light Rail Scheme.

John Spellar: None yet, since Blackpool Council have not yet submitted formal proposals for this scheme. My Department is currently considering their proposals for refurbishment of the existing, historic tram system. I am well aware of the importance the Council attaches to these as part of their regeneration strategy for Blackpool.

Shipping (Iraq)

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions his Department has had with the shipping industry on the ownership and operation of the deep water container port at Umm Qasr, Iraq.

David Jamieson: None.

Rail Safety

Mark Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which of the contractors responsible for rail safety in the (a) Paddington and (b) Hatfield rail crashes operated quality management systems.

David Jamieson: I understand that Network Rail's safety procedures require contractors to have suitable and sufficient Safety Quality and Environment Management systems in place in accordance with the company's railway standards. Both Amey and Balfour Beatty had such systems in place at the times of the Paddington and Hatfield rail crashes.

PRIME MINISTER

Iraq

Norman Baker: To ask the Prime Minister whether he consulted previous prime ministers before committing British forces to battle in Iraq.

Tony Blair: I have discussions with a wide range of individuals and organisations. As with previous Administrations it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such discussions, under exemptions 2 and 7 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

Iraq

Llew Smith: To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his recent meeting with the Secretary General of the United Nations in New York; and if he will place in the Library copies of briefing material used in respect of that meeting.

Tony Blair: I met United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan in New York on 27 March. We discussed a range of issues including the on-going consultations on the Oil for Food Programme and the UN's role in Iraq.
	Since that meeting the Security Council has unanimously adopted UN Security Council Resolution 1472 (2003) providing for the continuation of the Oil for Food Programme.
	Information relating to internal advice and consultation is not disclosed under Exemption 2, Part II of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

Palestine

Lynne Jones: To ask the Prime Minister when he informed Mr. Abu Mazen that the publication of the final draft of the roadmap had been postponed until after the approval by the Palestinian Legislative Council of the Palestinian Cabinet; and when and by whom this decision was taken.

Tony Blair: Publication is the responsibility of the Roadmap's authors, the Quartet of the UN, EU, United States and Russia. As I told the House on 26 March 2003, Official Report, column 281, "when the Palestinian Prime Minister has his Cabinet in place, the roadmap will be given to both the Israeli Government and the Palestinian Authority". This decision was announced by President Bush on 14 March.

Pensions

Oliver Heald: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the (a) funded and (b) unfunded public sector pension schemes for which he is responsible; when the last actuarial valuation was of each scheme; what the value was of the assets at the last actuarial valuation of each scheme; what deficit is disclosed by the last actuarial valuation of each scheme; and if he will make a statement.

Tony Blair: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by my hon. Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office on Monday 31 March 2003, Official Report.
	I am responsible for two pension schemes for the staff of the Security and Intelligence Agencies. Both are unfunded and operate by analogy with the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme.

Work Placements

Graham Allen: To ask the Prime Minister if he will make it his policy for his Department to support and sponsor work placements for degree students.

Tony Blair: Many Government Departments already run work placement schemes.

TREASURY

Advertising Campaigns

Mark Prisk: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his Department's total spending was on advertising and promotional campaigns between April 2002 and March 2003; and what the cost of each campaign was, broken down by costs relating to (a) television, (b) radio and (c) print media.

Ruth Kelly: The total cost of advertising and promotional campaigns by HM Treasury for the year to March 2003 was nil.

Tax Relief (Amateur Sports Clubs)

David Drew: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what tax relief is available for amateur sports clubs; and what plans he has to change these arrangements.

John Healey: The Finance Act 2002 introduced a range of tax reliefs for Community Amateur Sports Clubs (CASCs) on their income and on donations made to them, similar to those normally given to charities.
	The measures provide CASCs with exemption from:
	corporation tax on interest;
	corporation tax on any trading income up to £15,000;
	corporation tax on income from property up to £10,000; and
	capital gains tax on disposals of assets.
	Donors to CASCs will be able to give using the following reliefs:
	Gift aid for individuals;
	Inheritance tax;
	Gifts of assets to a CASC on a no gain/no loss basis for capital gains purposes for both individuals and companies;
	Gifts of trading stock and plant and machinery by businesses.
	Clubs which meet the Charity Commission's criteria for charitable status can apply to the Charity Commission for registration. That gives them access to the more generous tax reliefs available to charities. The Chancellor keeps all elements of the tax system under review, in the context of his annual Budget Statement.

Annuities

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many letters he has received since February 2002 from residents in the Buckingham constituency regarding annuities.

Ruth Kelly: Three letters on this subject have been identified as coming from the Buckingham constituency.

Commercial Confidentiality

Rob Marris: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what guidance his Department issues to civil servants on how to deal with claims from organisations that the information they provide to the Department is commercially confidential.

Ruth Kelly: It is not standard practice to verify claims of commercial confidentiality on receiving information from organisations as this issue is normally only relevant if the question arises as to whether the information should be disclosed to another party. The Treasury has not issued guidance on this issue. In the event of a request for information claimed to be commercially confidential, officials would rely on the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information and central guidance on the operation of the Code to determine whether information should be withheld.

Departmental Expenditure

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his estimate is of the expenditure of his Department on newspapers, magazines and periodicals in 2002.

Ruth Kelly: Expenditure on newspapers, magazines and periodicals is not held centrally, and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Euro Website

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many visits there have been to the Treasury Euro website since 9 January 2002.

Ruth Kelly: There have been over 400,000 visitors to the Treasury euro website (www.euro.gov.uk) since 9 January 2002, bringing the total to over 1,000,000 visitors to the site since it was re-launched by the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 29 March 2001, Official Report, column 1087.

Afganistan

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what subsidies the UK Government are receiving from foreign allies to fund the continuing involvement of UK forces in Afghanistan.

Paul Boateng: UK military forces continue to operate in Afghanistan but at a much lower level than during the period of the overthrow of the Taliban and the successful establishment of the International Security Assistance Force. We continue to work in close co-operation with other nations but we are receiving no direct subsidies for our military operations in Afghanistan.

Iraq

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his estimate is of the total cost to HM Treasury of the humanitarian aid required in Iraq.

Paul Boateng: The Government have not made any final estimate of the likely costs of humanitarian needs in Iraq.
	The Chancellor announced on 27 March that a total of £240 million had been set aside for humanitarian assistance in Iraq. This includes £30 million for the MoD to provide immediate assistance on the ground and £50 million committed by DFID to support preparations and delivery of assistance by humanitarian agencies. The remainder of the money will be committed in line with emerging humanitarian needs.

Landfill Tax Credit

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what consultations over funding to ease the transition between the Landfill Tax Credit Scheme and any successor were held by the Department to take into account the opinions of local schemes promoting sustainable waste issues.

John Healey: The consultation on the possible changes to the landfill tax credit scheme last year asked for views on a range of questions, including transition arrangements. A summary of responses to the consultation was published on 4 September 2002. These views were taken into consideration by the Government in its decisions to reform the scheme.

Smuggling

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what support his Department gives to the Royal Navy to combat the smuggling of (a) spirits, (b) wine and (c) drugs.

John Healey: HM Customs and Excise are responsible for collecting indirect taxes and enforcing Government requirements relating to the movement of goods into and out of the UK. Customs' focus is on managing risks to the revenue, such as smuggling of spirits and wine, and risks to society that arise from the illegal importation of prohibited or restricted goods, such as Class A drugs.
	The Royal Navy assists Customs both nationally and internationally in the interdiction of drugs, in accordance with its duty under section 11 Customs and Excise Management Act 1979.

Stamp Duty

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the additional revenue which would be raised from the proposals to increase the charge to lease duty in his consultative document Modernising Stamp Duty; and if he will publish a report estimating the economic impact on the leasehold property market separately for each of the options.

Ruth Kelly: In the 2002 Budget, the Government set out its intention to modernise stamp duty, and as part of this reform to review the stamp duty charged on leases. Further information on policy options was published in the consultative document, "Modernising Stamp Duty on land and buildings in the UK," in April 2002. The Chancellor will report on progress in modernising stamp duty in this year's Budget.

Taxation (Non-Domiciled UK Residents)

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to change the tax treatment of non-domiciled UK residents.

Dawn Primarolo: My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced in his Budget last April that we are reviewing the residence and domicile rules as they affect the tax liabilities of individuals. We believe that any modernisation of these rules needs to be based on clear principles: the rules should be fair, clear, easy to operate and support the competitiveness of the British economy. As indicated in paragraph 5.82 of the Pre-Budget Report last November, the Treasury and the Inland Revenue will be publishing a background paper to aid discussion of how the rules compare with the Government's principles.

VAT

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much VAT was collected from UK companies in (a) 2001–02 and (b) 2002–03.

John Healey: The total amount of VAT collected in the UK for years 2001–02 and 2002–03 (to January 2003), is published by the Office for National Statistics in, "Financial Statistics", No. 491, Table 2.1D as:
	(a) £61,032 million.
	(b) £54,458 million to January 2003.

VAT

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of VAT owed was recovered from UK companies in receivership in the last 12 months.

John Healey: Data is not available on the percentage of VAT recovered from UK companies in receivership.

VAT

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what changes have been made in the last two years regarding VAT liability for new building in the UK.

John Healey: In the last two years the Government have made two changes to ensure the VAT rules for new buildings continue to be applied in an equitable and fair way.
	In June 2002 we adjusted the rules that apply to the construction of new annexes which are partly used for charitable purposes. In the pre-Budget Report in November 2002, we announced the closure of a heavily exploited tax avoidance loophole, ensuring that the full payment for a new commercial building is subject to VAT.

VAT

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what powers the Inland Revenue has to reclaim VAT from subcontractors who go into receivership.

John Healey: Under Government Accounting guidelines, the common law principle that the Crown is indivisible is applied to set-off VAT refunds against other tax liabilities in cases where a debtor goes into receivership.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

16 to 17-year-olds

Hywel Francis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of 16 to 17-year-olds are studying for an (a) academic and (b) vocational qualification in (i) further education colleges, (ii) sixth form colleges, (iii) schools and (iv) other training providers.

Margaret Hodge: The percentage of 16, 17 and 16 and 17-year-olds participating in full-time education by type of qualification being studied and by institution type for end 2001 are set out as follows. The figures are provisional.
	
		Percentage
		
			  16 year olds 17 year olds 16 and 17 year olds 
		
		
			 Schools(1)
			 General(2) 27.2 23.5 25.4 
			 Vocational(3) 6.7 4.0 5.4 
			 Sixth Form Colleges
			 General(2) 7.3 6.0 6.6 
			 Vocational(3) 2.5 1 .8 2.1 
			 General FE Colleges
			 General(2) 6.0 4.9 5.5 
			 Vocational(3) 20.7 17.1 18.9 
			 Higher Education Institutions
			 General(2) — 0.4 0.2 
			 Vocational(3) 0.3 0.3 0.3 
			 Total in full-time education(4) 71.2 58.4 64.9 
			 Government supported training(5) 7.0 9.4 8.1 
		
	
	(1) Includes maintained and independent schools.
	(2) Academic qualification breakdown is made up of students studying HE courses, GCE A/AS/A2 levels, International Baccalaureate and GCSEs
	(3) Vocational qualification breakdown is made up of students studying VCE A/AS levels, NVQs, GNVQs, and other equivalents (e.g. City & Guilds).
	(4) Includes special schools for whom no qualification breakdown is available.
	(5) All vocational qualifications, includes overlap with full-time education.
	A qualification breakdown for those in part-time education is not available.
	A more detailed breakdown by course of study can be found in the annual statistical
	first release, 'Participation in Education, Training and Employment by 16 to 18-year-olds in England'.

Early-years Provision

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of children living in poverty will be covered by a Sure Start Scheme in (a) 2000, (b) 2002, (c) 2003, (d) 2004 and (e) 2005; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Eagle: By July 2003, when the target of over 500 Sure Start local programmes has been met, they will reach around 30 per cent. of all children under four living in poverty, and provide a basis for mainstreaming the principles of Sure Start into all services for young children and their families. The Sure Start local programmes which were approved by July 2000 covered some 4 per cent. of children under four living in poverty, and those approved by July 2002 covered some 17 per cent. of such children. The Government's 2002 Spending Review provides for the future development of children's centres in disadvantaged wards to reach further children in poverty.

Civil Service Travel

John Maples: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what grades in the Civil Service in his Department are allowed to travel by air (a) first class and (b) business class at public expense when on official duties.

Stephen Twigg: My Department is committed to ensuring staff use the most efficient and economic means of travel in the circumstances, taking into account any management benefit or the needs of staff with disabilities.
	Members of the Senior Civil Service are allowed to travel by air, first class or club class for journeys of over two and a half hours. For journeys of under two and a half hours staff would be expected to travel economy class if available. Staff at other levels are allowed to travel by air, at the higher class when they are travelling with someone entitled to the higher class of travel to discuss official business.

Class Sizes

Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the average class size was for classes taught by one teacher in each year since 1999 for (a) pupils in Key Stage 1, (b) pupils in Key Stage 2, (c) primary schools and (d) secondary schools in (i) England and (ii) each parliamentary constituency.

David Miliband: The information on class size by Key Stage has been placed in the House of Commons Library.
	A table showing average class sizes by primary and secondary schools is already available in the Library.

Class Sizes

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the average class size was for (a) primary schools and (b) secondary schools in each constituency in each of the last six academic years.

David Miliband: The information requested has been placed in the House of Commons Library.

Commercial Confidentiality

Rob Marris: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what guidance his Department issues to civil servants on how to deal with claims from organisations that the information they provide to the Department is commercially confidential.

Charles Clarke: It is not standard practice to verify claims of commercial confidentiality on receiving information from organisations, as this issue is normally relevant only if the question arises as to whether or not the information should be disclosed to another party.
	The Code of Practice on Access to Government Information provides a specific exemption for a third party's commercial confidences, and the Code and the guidance on the operation of the Code helps officials to determine whether such information should be disclosed or withheld in response to an individual request. In deciding this, officials need to consider if "unwarranted disclosure would harm the competitive position of a third party." This would normally involve consultation with the third party involved. Even where the exemption to disclosure applies, the information in question must still be made available if there is an overriding public interest in disclosure, usually appropriate only where there is a substantial risk to public health, safety or the environment.

Demography

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the estimated cohort size is of those attaining the compulsory school leaving age in each year from 1995 to 2010.

David Miliband: The estimates for January of each academic year are as follows.
	
		
			 Academic year Thousand 
		
		
			 1994–95 588.6 
			 1995–96 606.6 
			 1996–97 600.0 
			 1997–98 577.6 
			 1998–99 591.3 
			 1999–2000 602.3 
			 2000–01 628.5 
			 2001–02 631.4 
			 2002–03 639.3 
			 2003–04 655.9 
			 2004–05 648.0 
			 2005–06 660.0 
			 2006–07 665.5 
			 2007–08 658.3 
			 2008–09 635.6 
			 2009–10 630.3

Departmental Creche Facilities

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what creche facilities are provided by his Department; and at what cost.

Stephen Twigg: My Department is committed to promoting equality of opportunity for its staff and supports a range of child care provision that help staff balance family and working life. It is currently reviewing its child care provision to ensure the best possible support to all our staff with child care responsibilities.
	100 full-time workplace nursery places are available to staff working in Sheffield and Runcorn; 143 full-time playscheme places, operating during the school holidays for children in full-time education aged from 4 to 14 years, are available for DfES staff working in Sheffield, Runcorn, Darlington and London; and child care vouchers are provided to staff working in London and, Darlington and parents in Runcorn and Sheffield who do not have a nursery place. In 2002–03 DfES spent £260,000 supporting child care.

Graduate Earnings

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate he has made of the average lifetime earnings of graduates, broken down by degree subject.

Margaret Hodge: The White Paper, "The Future of Higher Education", highlighted how the financial returns to a degree vary by degree subject. No specific estimates have been made of the average lifetime earnings of graduates broken down by subject. Higher education is a good investment. The White Paper, "The Future of Higher Education", highlighted how those with higher education qualifications earn on average around 50 per cent. more than non-graduates. There will inevitably be some individual variation in lifetime returns because graduate earnings are influenced by a number of factors, including the subject studied, institution attended, occupational choices and other personal characteristics and demographic factors.

National Insurance

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the additional cost is to each local education authority of the increase in national insurance contributions that comes into effect on 6 April 2003 in the (a) financial year 2003–04 and (b) school year 2003–04.

David Miliband: The Department does not collect information on the distribution of staff salaries by local education authority. It is therefore not possible for us to calculate the additional cost of the national insurance increase to each local education authority.

Personnel Records

Alan Beith: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what his policy is on the period for which the Department's personnel records in respect of teachers and Her Majesty's Inspectors should be retained; and what requirements on the retention of these records have been included in contracts with private sector organisations which hold such records.

David Miliband: The Department maintains records on individual teachers for the purpose of administering the Teachers' Pension Scheme. Document retention and destruction policy is in accordance with the requirements of the Public Records Office. The obligation to comply with Public Records Office policies forms part of the contractual requirements on the private sector administrators of the Teachers' Pensions Scheme. Personnel files on Her Majesty's Inspectors are held by OFSTED. All files are retained for the purpose of pensions administration for 12 years after pensions become payable in individual cases.
	Other data on teachers is held by the General Teaching Council as required for its regulatory function and in accordance with regulations.

Standards Fund

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the reduction in revenue for each local education authority will be caused by the removal of grants 603 and 613 of the Standards Fund announced on 29 November 2002 in the (a) financial year 2003–04 and (b) school year 2003–04.

David Miliband: Grant 603 (Class Size Grant) totalled £143 million in 2002–03 for revenue funding. This has been transferred into Education Formula Spending for 2003–04 and authorities' allocations for 2002–03 were taken into account in calculating the minimum and maximum increases in Education Formula Spending Share.
	Grant 613 (Key Stage 2 Class Size Recurrent Funding) totalled £7 million in 2002–03. This was not transferred into Education Formula Spending Share, but losses of this grant were taken into account in the calculation of the new £28 million grant to support authorities worst hit by the losses of certain Standards Fund Grant and low Education Formula Spending Share increases.

Teacher Recruitment

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what incentives the Government offer to aid the recruitment of teachers.

David Miliband: Since September 2000, £6,000 teacher training bursaries have been offered to students taking Postgraduate Certificate in Education courses at institutions in England. For those students who train as specialist teachers of mathematics, science, modern languages, technology or English, and who go on, after induction, to teach those subjects in maintained schools in England, a further £4,000 "golden hello" is available. From September 2002, these incentives have been supplemented by Repayment of Teachers' Loans Scheme, a three-year pilot to increase the numbers of new teachers of priority subjects by paying off their student loans over time. With better pay for teachers, and the new measures to reduce workloads and provide more support in the classroom that we have proposed, these initiatives have raised the numbers of teachers in schools to their highest level for 20 years and brought about a 20 per cent. rise in the number of recruits to initial teacher training courses since 1999–2000.

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

Security Procedures

George Osborne: To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission what steps are being taken to keep the employees of the John Simon hair salon in the Palace of Westminster informed of the latest information on security procedures.

Archy Kirkwood: The Serjeant at Arms is responsible for providing information to Members and staff of the House of Commons regarding security issues. He also arranges for external organisations with facilities situated within the Palace of Westminster to receive appropriate security advice. I understand that the employees of the John Simon hair salon now have the latest information on security procedures.

MINISTER FOR WOMEN

Domestic Violence

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Minister for Women what the timetable is for the Green Paper on Domestic Violence.

Patricia Hewitt: The consultation paper, setting out proposals to prevent domestic violence, deal with perpetrators and provide increased support to victims, will be published by summer 2003. It will aim to generate a comprehensive response from the public, voluntary sector and others, to ensure the widest possible agreement on what needs to be done to prevent and deal with domestic violence, as announced on 24 February 2003, Official Report, column 324W.

Women Managers

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Minister for Women what work she is undertaking in partnership with other bodies to encourage women to train for managerial positions; and with which bodies she is carrying out such work.

Patricia Hewitt: holding answer 24 February 2003
	My Department recognises how vital it is to achieve high quality leadership and management for UK productivity and competitiveness among both men and women. We have just published a Government response to the final report of the Council for Excellence in Management and Leadership (CEML), which set out 30 recommendations to tackle any management deficit in the UK's management and leadership capability.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Export Credits (Iraq)

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what payments were made by the Export Credit Guarantees Department for claims relating to Iraq since 1990; and if she will make a statement]

Patricia Hewitt: The current value of claims paid by ECGD since 1 January 1990 on Iraq is £630.5 million.

Export Credits (Iraq)

Tim Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions she has had with the United States Agency for International Development on potential contracts for reconstruction projects in Iraq; and if she will make a statement.

Patricia Hewitt: holding answer 31 March 2003
	I have discussed post-conflict issues with Andrew Natsios of USAID. We discussed ways in which UK companies could best contribute to the future development of Iraq for the benefit of the Iraqi people. HMG is not in this for business opportunities. But UK companies would have much to offer in terms of knowledge and expertise, which could make a substantial contribution to the redevelopment of Iraq's essential infrastructure.

Oil

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment his Department has made of the effects of (a) a conflict with Iraq, (b) problems in the Venezuelan economy and (c) problems in Nigeria on world oil prices.

Brian Wilson: From mid-November 2002 to mid-March 2003 oil prices (Brent) rose by around $10 per barrel to over $33 per barrel due to a range of factors, including: a significant disruption to supplies from Venezuela; low levels of OECD commercial oil stocks, particularly in the United States and Asia-Pacific; very cold weather in the Northern Hemisphere, particularly the United States; and market uncertainty about international developments regarding Iraq.
	Despite the loss of oil supplies from Iraq and a disruption to supplies from Nigeria, a combination of increased supply from producers (including a recovery in Venezuelan production), a seasonal fall in world oil demand, and reduced market uncertainty about developments regarding Iraq has seen oil prices fall to around $25 to $27 per barrel in late March.

Oil

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment his Department has made of the effect of (a) a short and (b) a prolonged conflict in Iraq on the underlying supply and demand situation for oil.

Brian Wilson: No significant disruption to the underlying supply and demand balance for oil is expected to arise from military action in Iraq. Prior to conflict, Iraqi oil production stood at around 2.5 million barrels per day or only 3 per cent. of total world oil production, of which only around 1.5 to 2 million barrels per day was exported. Over the past few months, producers have increased oil supplies and this incremental supply is now reaching markets, with more oil on the way. Combined with a seasonal downturn in world oil demand in the second quarter this is helping to balance the oil market. OPEC producers have pledged to use their available excess capacity to ensure that the market remains adequately supplied. Moreover, the International Energy Agency remains ready to reinforce producers' efforts, including through the release of stocks, should the need arise.

Post Office Card Account

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  how many third party account holders a Post Office card account holder may nominate; and why there is no provision in the scheme to allow for a temporary third party;
	(2)  what advice will be available for people who forget their Post Office card account PIN numbers.

Stephen Timms: This is a matter which falls within the day-to-day responsibility of Post Office Ltd. I have therefore asked the Chief Executive to reply direct to the hon. Member.

Post Office Card Account

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps her Department is taking to ensure that the Post Office offers a Post Office card account that is fully accessible to people with physical and sensory impairments.

Stephen Timms: The Government and the Post Office are working to provide a high quality range of services for all our customers, including those who wish to use the Post Office card account. As the service provider, it is the responsibility for Post Office Ltd. to ensure the accessibility of the Post Office card account.

Agency Workers Directive

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on progress towards the European Union Agency Workers Directive; and what her Department's policy is on the Directive as it stands.

Alan Johnson: The Council of Ministers held an informal discussion of the proposal at the March Employment Council. It was concluded that political agreement was not reached, but that there was significant political will to achieve political agreement at the June Employment Council. The Government are not opposed in principle to the proposed directive on temporary agency work, but would like to see a more flexible directive that strikes a balance between protecting agency workers and protecting employment opportunities for agency workers.

Arms Exports

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will set maximum (a) quantities and (b) values on the amounts of (i) armaments and (ii) military equipment that can be transferred under each arms licence.

Nigel Griffiths: A Standard Individual Export Licence already specifies the maximum quantity and the value of armaments and military equipment, which can be exported from the UK, under the authority of that licence.

Departmental Catering Services

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the cost was of (a) the in-house canteen and (b) other catering services provided by the Department in 2002.

Patricia Hewitt: The information is as follows:
	(a) The Department's staff restaurant services are provided at zero cash subsidy by an outsourced contractor, Wilson Storey Halliday; and
	(b) The Department spent approximately £940, 000 with its preferred hospitality contractor in calendar year 2002.

Regional Selective Assistance

Mark Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list projects awarded funding by the East of England Development Agency through the Regional Selective Assistance schemes, broken down by county; what level of financial assistance was awarded to these projects; and what assessment she has made of the effect of each RSA award on (a) jobs saved and created and (b) the benefits to the local economy.

Alan Johnson: This information is not held by my Department and has been supplied by the East of England Development Agency (EEDA).
	For reasons of commercial confidentiality, under Exemption 13: Third Party Commercial Confidences of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information it is not possible to list individual projects but the aggregate of approved RSA offers since authority was delegated to EEDA from 2 April 2002 is as follows:
	Bedfordshire—6 projects, RSA grant total: £2,503,402. Total expected safeguarded jobs: 564; total expected created jobs: 713.
	Suffolk—1 project, RSA grant: £595,730. Expected safeguarded jobs: 168.
	These projects will directly help tackle unemployment problems in these areas and make a valuable additional contribution to the economic development of the region.

ECGD-Supported Projects

Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many projects supported by the Export Credits Guarantee Department in the last 12 months have been won through a competitive tendering process.

Patricia Hewitt: Since 1 April 2002 ECGD has asked applicants for cover to state the type of procedure that has been used by the buyer in awarding the contract (e.g. competitive tendering, negotiated contract). Of cases supported since April 2002, around two thirds of the contracts were won through competitive tendering.

Electricity and Gas Prepayment Meters

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many households in (a) England and Wales and (b) the Buckingham constituency have (i) electric and (ii) gas pre-payment meters.

Brian Wilson: In England and Wales, in December 2002, 3,221,781 domestic electricity consumers and 1,808,145 domestic gas consumers had prepayment meters. Figures for prepayment meter use are not available on a constituency basis.

Employment, Social Policy, Health andConsumer Affairs Council

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the agenda of the European Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council meeting on 6 March 2003.

Alan Johnson: The agenda for the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council consisted of:
	1. preparation of the Spring European Council;
	2. proposal for a Council Decision establishing a Tripartite Social Summit for Growth and Employment;
	3. Employment Committee Work Programme 2003;
	4. Social Protection Committee Work Programme 2003;
	5. follow-up to the Commission action plan for skills and mobility;
	6. amended proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on working conditions for temporary workers;
	7. gender mainstreaming; and
	8. European Year of People with Disabilities.

State Aid

Dave Watts: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will publish her Department's proposals for the reform of the state aid rules.

Alan Johnson: The European Commission's rules on state aid are under constant development. The Department consults other Government Departments, Devolved Administrations and other principally affected bodies as appropriate.

European Spallation Source Project

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action the Department has taken to support the development of the European Spallation Source project in (a) Selby and (b) Oxford University.

Patricia Hewitt: The European Spallation Source (ESS) is a potential project to build a new neutron source for European scientists. The UK has been involved in the discussions on ESS since a European Commission report in 1990 recommended a design study for a next generation neutron source. A Council was formed in 1993, including UK membership, and the initial design study was published in 1996. Further research and development was needed before a fair decision could be taken to build the ESS. Participating laboratories around Europe have been undertaking this R&D. The UK has been represented in the Council and has participated in the R&D via the Council for the Central Laboratories of the Research Councils (CCLRC), an NDPB Agency of the Department who operate the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory near Oxford and the Daresbury Laboratory near Warrington. CCLRC have responsibility for ensuring that UK researchers have access to neutron facilities now and in the future. They also operate the UK's current neutron source.

Nuclear Industry

Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on recruitment within the UK nuclear power industry.

Brian Wilson: A report on nuclear skills published by my Department in December made a series of recommendations aimed at avoiding potential problems 10–15 years ahead but did not suggest that there are likely to be any significant problems in the short term. Copies of the report are in the Library. It can also be accessed via the DTI website at http://www.dti.gov.uk/energy/ nuclear/skills/nsg.shtml.
	I am currently involved in discussions about appropriate arrangements through a sector skills council.

Public Appointments

Peter Kilfoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many women have been appointed as chairmen of Regional Development Agencies.

Alan Johnson: Juliet Williams, Chair of the South West of England Regional Development Agency is the only female Chair of an English Regional Development Agency. She was appointed in December 2002.
	I have been responsible for appointments to the eight English Regional Development Agencies since June 2001. Appointments to the London Development Agency are made by the Mayor of London.

Radioactive Waste

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which prospective sites were chosen by Nirex in its earlier site search for suitable locations to dispose of radioactive waste.

Brian Wilson: As the Secretary of State for the Environment informed the House on 21 March 1989, Nirex recommended to Government that detailed geological studies for a deep repository be carried out in the vicinity of Sellafield and Dounreay.
	Nirex has no current plans to investigate sites for radioactive waste disposal facilities.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Births

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many women from (a) the Republic of Ireland and (b) Great Britain have given birth at (i) the Royal Jubilee Maternity Hospital and (ii) other hospitals in Northern Ireland in the last five years for which figures are available.

Des Browne: The information requested is provided in the table. It covers the period from 1 April 2001 to 31 March 2002.
	
		
			 Hospital Births to ROI residents Births to GB residents Births to other non-residents in Northern Ireland 
		
		
			 Royal Jubilee Maternity hospital 3 46 0 
			 Other Northern Ireland hospitals 303 10 (6)3 
		
	
	(6) Western Health and Social Services Board were unable to distinguish between births to GB residents and births to other non-Northern Ireland residents.

Chief Electoral Officer

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what resources have been allocated to the Chief Electoral Officer for Northern Ireland in each year since 1997.

Des Browne: Financial resources allocated to the Chief Electoral Officer in each year from 1997 are as follows:
	
		
			  £ million 
		
		
			  
			  
			 1997–98 1.2 
			 1998–99 4.9 
			 1999–2000 1.2 
			 2000–01 1.4 
			 2001–02 2.5 
			 2002–03 6.5

Departmental Buildings

Martin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the cost to public funds was of (a) the inquiry into development of Victoria Square and (b) preparation for the inquiry.

Des Browne: The Planning Appeals Commission (PAC) held conjoined inquiries into the Development Scheme for Victoria Square Belfast and representations to the Notice of Intention to Vest lands in connection with the Development Scheme. The inquiries were a statutory requirement under the Planning (Northern Ireland) Order 1991. Pre-inquiry meetings were held by the PAC on 18 October 2001, 26 October 2001, 13 December 2001 and 8 January 2002 to establish arrangements for the inquiries and deal with procedural queries. The actual inquiries took place between 22 January and 31 January 2002. Preparatory work, which necessitated input from planning, vesting, legal (including counsel), transportation, built heritage and urban design consultants extended over a five month period and resulted in costs of £215,000. The Department incurred a further £507,900 in consultancy costs during the inquiry itself. These costs relate to the preparation and presentation of the Department's case in the form of written and oral evidence to the inquiries.

Medical Records

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what guidance he has issued on whether unconfirmed allegations by (a) members of the public, (b) relatives and (c) health professionals not involved in the care of an individual should be included in a patient's medical case notes.

Des Browne: It is a matter for professional judgment acting on the advice of professional bodies and organisations to determine what is recorded in a patient's medical notes in order to help in the diagnosis and treatment of the patient.

Medical Records

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland under what circumstances a patient can be denied access to information contained in his or her medical case notes.

Des Browne: Access to information contained in a patient's medical case notes may be denied if its disclosure, in the opinion of the holder of the record, would disclose information:
	(a) likely to cause serious harm to the physical or mental health of the patient or any other individual, or,
	(b) relating to or provided by an individual, other than the patient, who could be identified from the information.

Primary School Funding

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much funding is allocated, per head of pupil, to primary schools in the (a) maintained, (b) controlled, (c) integrated and (d) Irish medium sectors; and on what basis this funding is allocated.

Jane Kennedy: The following information is taken from the Budget Statements published in 2002/03 by the relevant funding authority, ie by each of the Education and Library Boards for controlled, controlled integrated, maintained and Irish-medium schools; and, by the Department of Education in respect of grant maintained integrated schools.
	
		2002–03 formula allocations per capitas
		
			 Sector Per capita (£) 
		
		
			 Controlled primary 1,696 
			 Maintained primary 1,739 
			 Integrated primary 1,894 
			 Irish medium primary 1,910 
		
	
	In addition to formula funding allocations, schools also have access to certain earmarked funds and other funds held centrally by each funding authority.
	Formula funding is allocated by the operation of six separate Local Management of Schools (LMS) Formulae; one in each of the Education and Library Boards and one by the Department of Education.

Alcohol (Public Places)

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the review into public drinking laws in Northern Ireland will be completed.

Des Browne: The review of the operation of the "drinking in public" bye-laws is still on-going. It is not possible to predict at this stage when the process will be completed.

Acute Hospitals

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on redevelopment, improvement and future plans for the Ulster hospital under the recently announced restructuring of acute hospital services in Northern Ireland.

Des Browne: Under Developing Better Services, the Ulster hospital together with the Royal group of hospitals, the Belfast city hospital and the Mater hospital will form part of network of acute hospitals serving the greater Belfast area.
	The Ulster Community and Hospitals Trust is taking forward a 4-phase Strategic Development Plan for the Ulster hospital. The second phase is underway and due for completion during 2005–06 at an estimated cost of £44 million. The Trust has been asked to draw up a Strategic Context for Phase 3.
	Further redevelopment will be taken forward when the detailed proposals have been agreed.

Electoral Procedures

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people in Northern Ireland have been registered to vote under the rolling registration scheme this year.

Des Browne: As of 1 March, 21,750 names have been added to the Electoral Register under rolling registration.

Electoral Procedures

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people in Northern Ireland have applied for the photographic Election Identity Card this year.

Des Browne: There have been 55,225 applications for the Electoral Identity Card as at 15 March.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Animal Health

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what conditions apply to the import of live pheasants from (a) the EU and (b) countries not in the EU.

Elliot Morley: Council Directive 90/539/EEC sets out animal health conditions concerning intra Community trade in live poultry, including pheasants. Pheasants entering the UK from EU Member States must be accompanied by an export health certificate, which is issued by the Veterinary Authorities in the country of the origin. The export health certificate confirms that the Official Veterinarian has examined the pheasants and they meet the necessary health conditions specified in Council Directive 90/539/EEC. The Veterinary Authorities in the exporting Member State inform the appropriate local animal health office in the UK by an ANIMO message (animal movement system) that a health certificate has been signed and a consignment of birds is on its way. In addition, the importer in the UK must give at least 24 hours notice in writing to the Divisional Veterinary Manager responsible for the place of destination, of his intention to import the birds, the nature of the consignment, its anticipated date of arrival and the place of destination.
	Council Directive 96/482/EEC lays down animal health conditions and veterinary certificates for the import of poultry, including pheasants, from Third Countries. Import of pheasants into the UK is allowed only from those Third Countries which can provide assurances supported by appropriate documents, or as a result of on-the-spot inspections, satisfy the necessary animal health conditions required by the UK and the European Commission. Pheasants entering the EU from Third Countries must be accompanied by an export health certificate issued by an Official Veterinarian in the country of origin. The health certificate confirms that the Official Veterinarian in the country of the origin has inspected the pheasants and they meet all the conditions specified in Council Directive 96/482/EEC. There is a post import isolation of 42 days. The State Veterinary Staff in the UK carry out at least six veterinary checks on the pheasants imported from Third Countries in the first 14 days after import. The Veterinary Laboratories Agency in Weybridge carries out tests on sick and dead pheasants to identify any possible disease. In addition, the local Divisional Veterinary Manager will receive an ANIMO message and import notification in the same way as EU imports.

Accountancy Services

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the total cost to her Department was for accountancy services in 2002.

Alun Michael: The forecast cost of accountancy services in 2002–03 is £715,000.

Public Bodies

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her estimate is of the (a) annual cost to her Department and (b) value of the assets of (i) Food from Britain, (ii) Horticulture Research International, (iii) the Meat and Livestock Commission and (iv) the Sea Fish Industry Authority; if she will make a statement in each case on the reasons for each body being in the public sector; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: The annual cost to Defra of each of the bodies specified and the value of their assets for 2001–02 are set out in the following table:
	
		£ million
		
			 Non-departmental public body (NDPB) Annual cost to Defra 2001–02 Value of assets 2001–02 
		
		
			 Food From Britain (FFB) (7)5.483 90,998 
			 Horticulture Research International(HRI) (8)13.643 43.568 
			 Meat and Livestock Commission (MLC) (9)287,000 5.9 
			 Sea Fish Industry Authority (SFIA) (10)270,000 4.937 
		
	
	(7) This excludes foot and mouth recovery funds of £2.5 million granted to FFB for 2001–02.
	(8) Comprises £13.493 million R&D income and related payments and c £0.150 million running costs of Defra sponsorship unit.
	(9) Comprises £232,000 Commissioners costs and c £.055 million running costs of Defra sponsorship unit.
	(10) Comprises board members salaries, NI contributions and Defra sponsorship costs.
	Food From Britain
	Food From Britain was set up in 1983 under the Agricultural Marketing Act to improve the marketing of food and drink produced or processed in the United Kingdom. In 1993 its remit was changed to focus on promoting food and drink exports and speciality foods. The most recent review of its functions recommended that it should be retained as a public body with the existing remit.
	Horticulture Research International
	Following a Quinquennial Review in 2002 the Government announced on 20 January 2003 that they broadly accepted the review team's recommendations that HRI should cease to be a NDPB and should be transferred to new owners in the private sector. Detailed discussions are currently under way to establish whether scenarios recommended by the review team are achievable and affordable, and whether any further Government investment is necessary. Subject to satisfactory negotiations, the aim is to have in place the arrangements for HRI's future by 1 April 2004.
	Meat and Livestock Commission
	The MLC is a public sector NDPB by virtue of the Agriculture Act 1967 with the general duty of promoting greater efficiency in the livestock and livestock product industries in Great Britain. Apart from the payment and expenses of MLC Commissioners from public funds, and occasional public grants, the MLC is funded principally by a combination of a statutory levy on livestock producers and private income from commercial services (including services procured by Defra, such as £9.3 million for foot and mouth disease related work in 2001–02). As producers are required by statute to pay the levy, it is classed as public expenditure. However in reality the costs of the MLC fall almost entirely on the private livestock sector rather than the Exchequer.
	Sea Fish Industry Authority
	The Sea Fish Industry Authority is a public levy funded body set up by the Fisheries Act 1981 to promote the efficiency of the sea fish industry and to serve the interests of that industry as a whole. The last review of it recommended that it be retained as a public body as its statutory objective remains relevant and the SFIA benefits the industry as a whole.

Labour Force

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what percentage of the UK work force were employed in agriculture in each of the past 10 years, broken down by (a) region and (b) type of farm.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 25 March 2003
	The information is given in the tables for (a) UK total and regions in England and (b) UK farm types.
	Information for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland is published in Agriculture in the United Kingdom for 2001 and 2002 and in Farm Incomes in the United Kingdom for earlier years. These can be found on the Defra website at www.defra.gov.uk/esg/m publications.htm
	
		(a) Agricultural labour force as a percentage of total labour force
		
			  1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 
		
		
			 North East 1.33 1.30 1.24 1.24 1.06 1.20 1.18 1.13 1.23 1.17 
			 North West 1.60 1.59 1.54 1.52 1.30 1.44 1.32 1.32 1.33 1.25 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 2.05 2.00 1.91 1.87 1.60 1.79 1.74 1.71 1.79 1.73 
			 East Midlands 2.65 2.55 2.48 2.41 2.07 2.33 2.18 2.16 2.23 2.14 
			 West Midlands 2.10 2.06 1.99 1.97 1.68 1.91 1.82 1.86 1.92 1.83 
			 Eastern 2.63 2.54 2.46 2.38 2.02 2.31 2.12 2.05 2.10 2.02 
			 London 0.04 0.04 0.04 0.04 0.03 0.04 0.03 0.03 0.03 0.03 
			 South East 1.76 1.70 1.63 1.58 1.35 1.55 1.44 1.32 1.38 1.35 
			 South West 3.91 3.88 3.72 3.69 3.16 3.55 3.43 3.44 3.42 3.25 
			 UK Total 2.29 2.26 2.19 2.15 1.84 2.07 1.95 1.90 1.92 1.88 
		
	
	Notes:
	For England years 1993–99 include main holdings only, years 2000–02 include main and minor holdings. A greater degree of estimation has been used for the years 1993–97
	Source:
	June Census of Agriculture and Horticulture, SEERAD, DARD, NAWAD, ONS.
	
		(b) Agricultural labour force as a percentage of total UK labour force by farm type
		
			 Farm type 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 
		
		
			 Cereals 0.21 0.20 0.20 0.20 0.18 0.21 0.19 0.19 0.21 0.20 
			 General cropping 0.28 0.27 0.27 0.26 0.21 0.23 0.21 0.19 0.19 0.18 
			 Horticulture 0.23 0.22 0.20 0.20 0.17 0.20 0.20 0.19 0.19 0.19 
			 Pigs and poultry 0.10 0.09 0.09 0.08 0.08 0.09 0.07 0.08 0.08 0.08 
			 Dairy 0.34 0.37 0.36 0.34 0.28 0.30 0.28 0.26 0.24 0.24 
			 Cattle and sheep (LFA) 0.43 0.41 0.40 0.40 0.34 0.39 0.38 0.36 0.35 0.36 
			 Cattle and sheep (lowland) 0.32 0.29 0.28 0.28 0.24 0.27 0.26 0.27 0.26 0.28 
			 Mixed 0.21 0.20 0.19 0.19 0.16 0.18 0.16 0.15 0.15 0.14 
			 Other types 0.18 0.19 0.19 0.20 0.17 0.19 0.19 0.20 0.24 0.22 
			 All types 2.29 2.26 2.19 2.15 1.84 2.07 1.95 1.90 1.92 1.88 
		
	
	Notes
	For England years 1993–99 include main holdings only, years 2000–02 include main and minor holdings. A greater degree of estimation has been used for the years 1993–97.
	Source:
	June Census of Agriculture and Horticulture, SEERAD, DARD, NAWAD

Labour Force

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the budgets were in 2001–02 of (a) the Agricultural Wages Board, (b) the Agricultural Wages Committee England, (c) the Joint Nature Conservation Committee, (d) the UK Register of Organic Food Standards, (e) the Wine Standards Board of the Vintner's Company, (f) the Agricultural Dwelling House Authority, (g) the Hill Farming Advisory Committee, (h) the National Rural Development Forum, (i) the Rural Affairs Forum, (j) the Trade Union Sustainable Development Advisory Committee, (k) Regional Flood Defence Committees and (l) the Regional Environmental Protection Advisory Committees; and if she will make a statement.

Alun Michael: Information on 2001–02 budgets for most of the bodies listed can be found in the Cabinet Office "Public Bodies 2002" publication, a copy of which is in the Library of the House. The bodies not listed in this publication, i.e. the National Rural Development Forum, the Rural Affairs Forum, the Trade Union Sustainable Development Advisory Committee and the Regional Environmental Protection Advisory Committees, are funded from within mainstream budgets in Defra or its agencies and could be separated out from those budgets at disproportionate cost only.

Woodland

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to introduce statutory protection for ancient woodland in England.

Elliot Morley: A number of measures are already in place to protect all woodland in England, including ancient semi-natural woodlands, where the biodiversity and cultural heritage values are the highest. In particular, the felling of any type of woodland is controlled through felling regulations. Additionally, many woodlands are subject to further controls because they are within designated areas such as Sites of Special Scientific Interest or Special Areas of Conservation.

Woodland

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the amount of ancient woodland in England.

Elliot Morley: We estimate the total area of ancient woodland in England to be 334,000 hectares, as set out in the UK Indicators of Sustainable Forestry. The publication can be viewed on the Forestry Commission's website at http://www.forestrv.qov.uk/sfindicators

Animal By-products

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions are taking place with unrelated organisations in advance of the introduction of the Animal By-Products Order.

Elliot Morley: Discussions are continuing with a wide range of stakeholders prior to the introduction of the Animal By-Products Regulation on 1 May.

Animal By-products

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what penalties will ensue for those who continue to use on-farm burial after the introduction of the Animal By-Products Order.

Elliot Morley: Penalties for failure to comply with the Animal By-Products Regulation when it comes into effect from 1 May range from a fine or imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or both.

Bovine TB

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the (a) number and (b) proportion of cattle sold to stock farms culled out during the foot and mouth crisis in respect of which (i) their TB reactor test was overdue and (ii) the herd was subject to a movement restriction following the identification of TB infected cattle.

Elliot Morley: DEFRA is funding a study of the consequences of restocking, which makes the most of the unique research opportunities following the foot and mouth disease outbreak, and looks at TB in newly formed herds. However, the information sought, in the format requested, could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Bovine TB

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she will take to ensure that all current projects under the Government's bovine TB research programme will be made accessible to (a) non-governmental organisations and (b) the public by means of (i) a reference title for each project, (ii) a description of its purpose, (iii) its timescales and (iv) its cost.

Elliot Morley: The various strands of the Government's research programme both completed and on-going are available in exactly the format requested on Defra's website www2.defra.gov.uk/research/
	Annual reports of the Independent Scientific Group on Cattle TB also include summary updates of Defra-funded TB research. These are available on the Defra website at www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/tb

Bovine TB

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her latest estimate is of the progress being made to (a) identify, (b) pilot and (c) conduct a wider implementation of a cattle vaccine to control the spread of bovine TB.

Elliot Morley: The development of a TB vaccine is one of the key objectives of our TB research programme. We are currently committed to research projects costing more than £5 million, designed to identify candidate vaccines, to experimentally vaccinate cattle and to develop a TB test which will differentiate vaccinated from infected animals. There are many steps in the process of identifying vaccine candidates, testing their efficacy and getting legislative clearance for the successful ones. The Chief Veterinary Officer has set up a Vaccine Steering Group to identify the administrative and legal processes that would need to be followed to enable a vaccine to be used with minimum delay.
	The Independent Scientific Group on Cattle TB (ISG) has cautioned that vaccination is an effective policy option for controlling bovine tuberculosis only in the longer term. The Group is expected to report to Ministers in the first half of this year on the feasibility of pursuing a TB vaccination strategy for cattle or wildlife.

Bushmeat

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what measures her Department has taken to discourage the import of bushmeat into the United Kingdom; and how much has been spent by her Department on those measures in the last 12 months;
	(2)  what measures her Department has taken in the last three years to discourage the export of bushmeat to the United Kingdom, broken down by region of origin; and how much her Department spent on those measures.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 27 March 2003
	2.5 per cent. of seizures of products of animal origin reported to DEFRA. Since March 2002, the Department has put in place measures to tackle the disease risks posed by illegal imports of all types of meat and animal products under the Illegal Imports Action Plan. Just under £3 million has been spent this financial year on that plan. It is not possible to determine how much of this was spent to discourage the import specifically of bushmeat. We have made available a total of £25 million over the next three financial years for measures to tackle all illegal imports of animal and plant products.
	In the current financial year, additional measures have been introduced at ports and airports to tackle illegal imports. Temporary agency staff, funded by DEFRA, have been recruited to carry out checks to detect smuggled goods—teams of six are based at our major airports and teams of two at major seaports. We are also paying for additional checks through overtime elsewhere. Further inspection resources have also been provided through the detector dog pilot, and a publicity campaign which has targeted ports, airports and overseas points of departure. We are working with airlines to get our message across through in-flight announcements and videos. We are also advertising on seven million ticket wallets to long-haul destinations.
	The CITES Bushmeat Working Group is also making good progress towards developing strategies to overcome the unsustainable trade in bushmeat in central and west Africa within a proper legislative framework. We have recently contributed a further £15,000 to help the group carry forward its work in this area, bringing to £70,000 the amount contributed since the Working Group was first set up in April 2000.
	On 25 March, the report on the risk assessment of the import of meat and meat products contaminated with foot and mouth disease virus was-published, along with a draft revised and updated action plan for 2003–04.

Energy Efficiency

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what proportion of her Department's funding allocation to the Carbon Trust has been spent in each year since the Trust's creation; and what assessment she has made of the impact of that expenditure.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 27 March 2003
	The Carbon Trust was created in April 2001, taking over management of the non-domestic part of the Energy Efficiency Best Practice programme (EEBPp) in July 2002 (which it re-launched as Action Energy) and administration of the Enhanced Capital Allowances programme in August 2002. In this time the Carbon Trust has also formulated its programmes, market research and proper financial and procurement procedures. In line with their remit the Carbon Trust have constructed and launched new and innovative programmes such as the Foundation Phase of the Low Carbon Innovation Programme (LCIP) in May 2002. The full LCIP programme has been notified to the European Commission for State Aids consideration.
	The Carbon Trust was allocated £26.5 million in 2001–02 by my Department, and a total of £49.6 million for 2002–03 (including £17.1 million from the EEBPp). Carbon Trust spend for 2001–02 was £5.5 million (composed of £3.1 million spend and £2.4 million to enhance the EEBPp), accurate spend figures for 2002–03 are not yet available from the Carbon Trust, however Defra has received and is considering a request for £20 million end year flexibility from the Carbon Trust's 2002–03 allocation.
	The Trust has already done much valuable work in its three main programme areas and is taking a proactive role in the energy efficiency arena in its role as the main source of energy efficiency information and advice for non-domestic sector. The impact of the Carbon Trust will be measured in terms of carbon savings, including savings from their Research and Development and Demonstration work. An initial impact assessment programme for the Trust is being developed and should provide preliminary results over the summer.

Commercial Confidentiality

Rob Marris: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what guidance her Department issues to civil servants on how to deal with claims from organisations that the information they provide to the Department is commercially confidential.

Alun Michael: It is not standard practice to verify claims of commercial confidentiality on receiving information from organisations, as this issue is normally only relevant if the question arises as to whether or not the information should be disclosed to another party. Access to the environmental information which Defra holds is subject to the Environmental Information Regulations 1992. Detailed guidance on implementing the Regulations, including the exception relating to commercial confidentiality, is publicly available on the Defra website at http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/pubaccess/index.htm.
	Where information is not subject to the Environmental Information Regulations 1992, the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information, and the guidance on the operation of the Code, helps officials determine whether information should be disclosed or withheld in response to an individual request. Exemption 13 under the Code relates to a third party's commercial confidences. In deciding whether or not information should be withheld under this exemption, officials must consider whether "unwarranted disclosure would harm the competitive position of a third party". While it is ultimately up to Departments to determine, in accordance with the Code, whether to disclose the information, the third party whose interests may be adversely affected should normally be consulted in order to inform the Department's decision. Even where the exemption prima facie applies, the information in question must still be disclosed if there is an overriding public interest in disclosure. However, under the Code, disclosure of commercially confidential information will usually only be appropriate where the risk to public health, public safety or the environment is substantial and specific. A decision to refuse requested information may be made without consultation with the supplier of information where the case for confidentiality is obvious and overwhelming.

Conservation Boards

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions she has had with (a) the Chancellor of the Exchequer and (b) the Inland Revenue about the VAT status of conservation boards.

Alun Michael: Following discussions about the role and contribution of conservation boards my hon. Friend, the Economic Secretary to the Treasury, has considered the implications and has explained that conservation boards will not meet the criteria set out for bodies to be able to recover VAT payments. We are considering the implications of this and will discuss the options with the Countryside Agency.

Animal Diseases (Compensation)

Keith Bradley: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much compensation was given to farmers for (a) foot and mouth, (b) CJD and (c) animal disposal in each year since 1990 in (i) cash and (ii) real terms.

Elliot Morley: The following table gives details of the amount of compensation paid to the farmers for foot and mouth, both in cash and in real terms, for foot and mouth and CJD (Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE)).
	
		£ million
		
			  Bovine SpongiformEncephalopathy Foot and Mouth 
			  Cash Real terms (in 2002 prices) Cash Real terms (in 2002 prices) 
		
		
			 1990 9.11 12.95 0 0 
			 1991 16.33 21.75 0 0 
			 1992 29.22 37.42 0 0 
			 1993 38.05 47.51 0 0 
			 1994 25.38 31.27 0 0 
			 1995 11.06 13.27 0 0 
			 1996 6.96 8.09 0 0 
			 1997 3.21 3.63 0 0 
			 1998 2.26 2.48 0 0 
			 1999 6.16 6.60 0 0 
			 2000 2.71 2.84 0 0 
			 2001 1.88 1.93 1,106.80 1,134.47 
			 2002 3.03 3.03 0 0 
		
	
	No payments have been made to farmers for disposal of animals.

Hill Farming

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her estimate is of her Department's spending on support for hill farming, in each year from 1990–91 in (a) cash and (b) real terms; what value for money is obtained by this spending; what the purpose is of this spending; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: Hill Livestock Compensatory Allowance (HLCA) spending in the UK from 1990–91 was as follows:
	
		£ million
		
			 Year Cash Real terms 
		
		
			 1990 128.5 179.6 
			 1991 147.1 194.1 
			 1992 152.7 194.3 
			 1993 132.4 165.8 
			 1994 110.0 134.5 
			 1995 107.6 127.2 
			 1996 107.1 123.6 
			 1997 167.6 187.5 
			 1998 110.5 119.6 
			 1999 175.8 187.3 
			 2000 172.4 178.4 
		
	
	Note
	Expenditure in real terms at 2002 prices.
	From 2001, support for hill farming became the responsibility of the devolved administrations. In England, spending on the Hill Farm Allowance (HFA), which replaced HLCA, was as follows:
	
		£ million
		
			 Year Cash Real terms 
		
		
			 2001 42.5 43.2 
			 2002 39.0 39.0 
		
	
	The objectives of HLCA were to help support the continuation of extensive livestock farming in the hills and uplands—the less favoured areas—thereby helping to maintain aviable population and conserve the countryside. HLCA was replaced by HFA and similarschemes in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. The objectives of HFA are tocontribute to the maintenance of the social fabric in upland communities through support for continued agricultural land use and to help to preserve the farmed upland environment by ensuring that land in these naturally disadvantaged areas is managed in a sustainable way.
	In terms of value for money, support for extensive grazing has played an important role in maintaining our traditional upland landscapes and hill farming communities. We are keen to ensure that support for extensive farming in the LFAs is as effective as possible, and plan shortly to consult publicly on a review of the Hill Farm Allowance to see whether improvements might usefully be made.

Sustainable Farming and Food Strategy

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many of the recommendations contained in Farming and Food: A Sustainable Future have been (a) fully and (b) partially implemented.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 27 March 2003
	The Government fully accepted the analysis and vision set out in the Policy Commission's report. The vast majority of its 105 recommendations are being implemented within the Strategy for Sustainable Farming and Food, which was launched on 12 December 2002. Good progress has already been made. Examples include the establishment of the Food Chain Centre, supporting English Farming and Food Partnerships (EFFP) under the Agricultural Development Scheme, and the launch of a new Entry-Level Pilot Scheme.
	The Policy Commission's report made it clear that the onus is not on Government alone to deliver this change. Many of the Commission's recommendations are targeted wholly or partly at the food and farming industry, which has a pivotal part to play.
	The Government has established an Implementation Group chaired by Sir Don Curry, former chair of the Policy Commission, to oversee and drive forward delivery of the Strategy at national and regional level. Implementation is being backed by £500 million over three years.

Sustainable Farming and Food Strategy

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many farms there are in England; how much financial support they received from her Department in the latest available year; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: In 2002 there were 146 thousand agricultural holdings in England. In total they received £1.7 billion in the form of direct subsidies. The Exchequer costs of market support is only available at the UK level but the England share of this can be broadly estimated to be £0.4 billion.

Forestry Commission

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her estimate is of the total net cost to the Exchequer of the Forestry Commission in each year from 2002–03 to 2004–05 (planned); what assessment has been made of the value for money of this expenditure; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: The estimated total net cash cost of the Forestry Commission for the periods requested is given in the following table. These figures reflect the Commission's activities in England and those which apply to the GB as a whole, such as forestry research.
	
		£000
		
			  Net cash cost 
		
		
			  
			  
			 2002–03 63,398 
			 2003–04 61,333 
			 2004–05 58,183 
		
	
	To ensure value for money from these inputs, the Forestry Commission has a Service Delivery Agreement (SDA) for the spending review period. The SDA, which specifies the outputs that the Commission must achieve, can be viewed on the Commission's website at http://www.forestry.gov.uk/forestry/hcou-4u4j85. Performance against the targets is reported in Defra's Departmental Report.

Fuel Poverty

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she will publish the annual assessment of the Fuel Poverty Advisory Group.

Elliot Morley: The Fuel Poverty Advisory Group's first annual report was published on 4 March 2003, alongside Government's own annual progress report of its Fuel Poverty Strategy.

Funding Schemes (Buckinghamshire)

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many people in the Buckingham constituency have received funding from the (a) Rural Enterprise scheme, (b) Processing and Marketing Grants scheme and (c) Vocational Training scheme since their introduction, indicating the length of funding received from each scheme.

Alun Michael: In the county of Buckinghamshire, 11 projects have been approved under the Rural Enterprise Scheme and four under the Vocational Training Scheme. The length of funding varies between individual projects. So far no projects have been approved in Buckinghamshire under the Processing and Marketing Grant.
	Details of project beneficiaries are not available at constituency level.

Fur Farming

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to bring in a compensation scheme for fur farmers in conformity with the Human Rights Act 1998.

Elliot Morley: The Government's view is that a compensation scheme drawn up under the Fur Farming (Prohibition) Act 2000 will help ensure that the ban on fur farming is fair in all respects.

GMOs

Huw Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the future licensing of GM crops.

Michael Meacher: Following the entry into force of Directive 2001/18 on the deliberate release of genetically modified organisms, a total of 19 applications for marketing consents for GM crops have been submitted to various EU member states. The Directive sets out clear procedures and deadlines for each stage of the decision-making process by member states and the European Commission. On any assessment, final decisions at EU level on any of the 19 applications are unlikely to be taken before the end of the year at the very earliest. By that time we will have the first set of results from our crop trials, the report of the public debate, and the information provided by the other parts of the work programme on GM that the Government has put in place. We will decide our policy on the commercial cultivation of GM crops in the UK, in consultation with the devolved Administrations, based on an objective assessment of all the available information.

GMOs

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  whether the UK Government is required by EC Directive 2001/18 to give an opinion on each of the 19 Part C marketing consents submitted to EU member states so far this year; and for each application, what the latest date is by which the United Kingdom's opinion is required for each of those 19 Part C applications should the UK Government consider that all the information requirements required of applicants under the Directive have been met;
	(2)  if she will list the reasons under EC Directive 2001/18 which would permit the United Kingdom to delay issuing an opinion on a Part C application made to the United Kingdom competent authority and to applications made to other member states.

Michael Meacher: EC Directive 2001/18 places obligations on all European Union Member States with regard to Part C marketing consents, which includes a timetable for each stage. If a Part C application is made to the United Kingdom, we are requried to complete its assessment of compliance with the Directive within 90 days. This deadline excludes any period during which further information is being sought from the applicant. In the two current cases of such applications, additional information is being sought from the applicants. Accordingly, I cannot predict when a UK opinion on either will be required, since it depends upon when the information is provided. Any favourably assessed application would subsequently be submitted for scrutiny by other European Union Member States.
	In the case of a Part C application to another Member State, the United Kingdom has 60 days from receipt of a positive assessment to submit any comments it may have. It is important that we contribute to the thorough scrutiny of these applications. If we were to be concerned that a particular crop may pose a risk to human health or the environment then it is clearly important that the UK submits a reasoned objection. The UK's non participation would not delay the timetable for taking decisions in Brussels. Two applications have reached this stage so far, and in both cases the UK had until 25 March 2003 to submit a response, and in both cases we sought further information necessary to completing our assessment. The deadline for comments on each of the other 15 applications will depend upon if and when positive assessments are submitted by the appropriate lead Member State. All applications are subsequently dependent upon collective EU decision-making procedures and timetable as set out in the Directive.

Meat Imports

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the reasons for the absence of signs at Gatwick airport to warn travellers about regulations on the import of meat.

Elliot Morley: There are in fact 11 posters in both the South and North terminals at Gatwick airport warning travellers of the rules on the import of meat, food and plants, and the penalties for breaking them. There are also currently 18 posters in commercial sites around the entrances and exits to these terminals.
	The Government recognise that this publicity campaign does not always have the impact we would like in raising awareness. We are continuing to work with stakeholders, major airlines and airport authorities—among others—to strengthen and enhance our campaign.

Chlorofluoro carbons

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether it is her policy that, under the terms of the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer, developed countries' production allowance for chlorofluorocarbons for export to meet the basic domestic needs of developing countries should be further reduced below the percentages allowed in the Beijing Adjustment to the Protocol; and whether the United Kingdom will raise this issue as one to be advanced by the EC in this year's meeting of the parties to the Protocol.

Michael Meacher: The UK is keen to ensure that there is no oversupply of CFCs in developing countries as a result of production for basic domestic needs, as this could lead to CFCs being available at lower prices than alternatives and hence could jeopardise developing countries' compliance with consumption controls under the Montreal Protocol. The European Commission is currently finalising a study on the production of CFCs in both developed and developing countries for basic domestic needs and the level of supply of these substances. Based on the conclusions in this report we will consider, with the Commission and other EU member states, what further adjustments to the levels of production agreed in Beijing in 1999 might be appropriate for consideration by the Parties to the Protocol at their meeting this year. The UK is a member of a working group of member states established by the Commission to discuss this.

Pollution (Stansted Airport)

Mark Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the annual emission of (a) NOx, (b) SOx, (c) Carbon Dioxide and (d) particles in the area surrounding Stansted airport was in (i) 1997, (ii) 1998 and (iii) 1999.

Alun Michael: The following table shows estimated emissions of NOx, SOx, Carbon Dioxide and particulates (PM10) for Stansted Airport in 1997, 1998 and 1999:
	
		
			 Emission (tonnes) 1997 1998 1999 
		
		
			 NOx (as Nitrogen Dioxide) 502 625 805 
			 SOx (as Sulphur Dioxide) 34.9 43.4 56.1 
			 Carbon Dioxide (CO2) 106,319 132,258 171,070 
			 Particulates (PM10) 9.5 11.8 15 
		
	
	Source:
	National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory. Aircraft emissions during the complete take off and landing cycle up to 1,000m are allocated to the airport. Consequently a proportion of the emissions are emitted at some height and horizontal distance from the boundaries of the airport. Emissions are calculated from aircraft movement data. The emissions are based on the number of aircraft movements at the airport in relevant years. Emissions from aircraft support vehicles are based on UK totals for this sector apportioned pro-rata according to the number of aircraft movements.

Animal Movements

Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for what reasons transporting livestock to and from shows will no longer be exempt from the six-day standstill.

Elliot Morley: We announced in a written statement on 23 January 2003 that the standstill would be reduced from 20 to six days for cattle, sheep and goats with effect from 4 March 2003, but with far fewer exemptions.
	The mixing of animals at shows—just as at markets—presents a risk of spreading undetected disease. During the period when the general rule was a 20-day whole farm standstill, it was agreed that an exemption could be allowed for show animals, but only if they were isolated in Defra approved facilities for 20 days before moving to shows and on return home.
	The removal of most of the exemptions to the standstill is a counter-balance to the increased risk created by the reduction in standstill period to six days. Pigs—which are still subject to a 20-day whole farm standstill—may take advantage of an exemption if they are individually identified and isolated for 20 days in approved Defra facilities before moving to a show.

Supermarkets

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what initiatives she has undertaken to persuade supermarkets (a) to reduce food miles and (b) to source food products from the locality of their stores.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 24 March 2003
	The Government are keen to see supermarkets re-examine supply routes to reduce journeys wherever sensible. However, the issues involved are complex and reducing food miles may not always be the most environmentally preferable solution in terms of reducing overall energy consumption. To help clarify the issues, Defra and DfT are supporting a study by Transport 2000 into the scope for reducing food miles in selected product sectors by using local suppliers and different distribution patterns. The Advisory Committee on Consumer Products and the Environment and the Sustainable Development Commission are also planning to do work in this area.
	The Strategy for Sustainable Food and Farming reiterated the Government's commitment to developing a comprehensive Food Industry Sustainability Strategy to provide strategic direction and set priorities for the food industry. Work is now in hand to take forward the drafting of this strategy. We recognise that the strategy will need to cover difficult issues such as food miles. Defra has recently commissioned external research on food miles. The purpose of this research is to establish preferred statistical measure(s) of food miles and their validity as indicators for assessing progress towards sustainability in the food chain.
	Many of the major retailers are introducing policies which should lead to an increase in the range of locally sourced produce stocked, in response to consumer demand. In addition Food From Britain, which we grant-aid, is working with the large supermarkets to encourage the sale of quality regional produce. Defra has also helped finance workshops organised by the Institute of Grocery Distribution, designed to bring together supermarkets and small local producers to explore how barriers to local sourcing can be overcome.

Town and Parish Councils Directory

Mark Tami: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will place in the Library a copy of her Department's directory of town and parish councils.

Alun Michael: The Department's database of parish and town council clerks in England has been drawn together to enable us to communicate with parish and town councils, it is not immediately clear whether it would be consistent with the Data Protection Act 1998 to publish our internal database as a public directory. It must be remembered that many clerks work from home on a part-time basis although some of the larger town and parish councils do have their own offices. I have asked for the matter to be considered by our legal advisers and I shall write to my hon. Friend after I have considered that advice and shall place a copy of the letter in the Library of the House.

Town and Parish Councils Directory

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to increase woodland cover in (a) the East Riding of Yorkshire, (b) Yorkshire and the Humber and (c) England.

Elliot Morley: With support from the Woodland Grant Scheme and Farm Woodland Premium Scheme, private woodland owners in Yorkshire and the Humber, including the East Riding, created some 850 hectares of new woodland over the last two years. The forthcoming Regional Forestry Framework is expected to identify priorities and actions for forestry in the Region, including further woodland creation.
	As regards our Forestry Strategy for England as a whole, we are currently reviewing our grant schemes with a view to achieving, among other things, improved targeting of support for new woodland. At the moment, our target is to create 30,000 hectares of new woodland over the seven year period of the England Rural Development Programme.

DEFENCE

Armed Forces (Council Tax)

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make representations to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister to request that local authorities suspend liability to council tax for members of HM armed forces for periods when serving in the Gulf.

Lewis Moonie: The Ministry of Defence has no plans to make representations to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister to stop council tax payments for members of the Armed Forces while serving in the Gulf.

Armed Forces Pension Scheme

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his written ministerial statement of 20 March 2003, Official Report, column 54WS, on the Armed Forces Pension Scheme, whether the system of ex-gratia payments will apply to all partners irrespective of sex or sexual orientation; who will make the decision on eligibility for the payments; and if he will make a statement.

Lewis Moonie: The policy change announced on 20 March applies equally to same sex and opposite sex partners; for eligibility, personnel will need to demonstrate that the relationship was substantial. It will also need to be confirmed that the death related to conflict. Decisions on eligibility will initially be taken by the scheme managers using evidence provided by the partner. The partner will be notified of the decision and reasons behind it; where the claim is not accepted, the existing appeals procedures can be invoked including, where the Internal Disputes Resolution Procedures have been exhausted and where otherwise appropriate, reference to the Pensions Ombudsman. The policy change will not be retrospective with respect to deaths occurring before 20 March.

Chemical and Biological Weapons

Patsy Calton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his Answer of 20 March 2003, Official Report, column 884W, on chemical and biological weapons, what estimate has been made of the individual useable minimum and maximum lifetime, given the varying degrees of initial purity and differing storage conditions, of (a) wet form of anthrax, (b) smallpox, (c) VX gas and (d) mustard gas.

Lewis Moonie: As I set out in my previous response, the stability of the individual agents will depend on both their initial purity and the precise conditions in which they are stored.
	The usable lifetime as chemical or biological warfare agents can vary widely. In respect of the biological warfare agents, it can vary from a couple months to 40 years for the wet form of anthrax and from a couple of days to 30 years for smallpox. For the chemical warfare agents VX and mustard, it can vary from a couple of days to 30 years.

Civil Service Travel

John Maples: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what grades in the Civil Service in his Department are allowed to travel by air (a) first class and (b) business class at public expense when on official duties.

Lewis Moonie: Official travel should always be arranged by the most cost-effective means and route. The Ministry of Defence operates a range of RAF Trooping and part-charter flights to and from those overseas areas where there is a major and permanent United Kingdom military presence such as Germany, Cyprus, the USA and Brunei. If the journey is covered by a Trooping or MOD charter flight this should be used whenever possible. Where commercial flights are necessarily used, however, the MOD can call upon a number of Discounted Fare Agreements that have been negotiated with major airlines to enable journeys to be completed at reduced cost. If scheduled commercial flights are used in this way, the class of travel is determined by grade and flight time. Those in the grade of Permanent Secretary are entitled to fly business class where the flight time is under 2.5 hours and first class for longer flights. All other grades are required to use economy class for flights of less than 2.5 hours duration and business class for the longer journeys.

Helplines

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his Answer of 25 February 2003, Official Report, columns 447–8W, on telephone helplines, how many calls were made to each helpline charged at national rate in the last year for which records are available; and what the average duration was of these calls.

Lewis Moonie: In my Answer of 25 February, I referred to seven telephone helplines that were charged at the national rate. Of these, three do not record information on the number or duration of calls received. Information relating to the other four is as follows:
	MOD Public Enquiry Office (0870 607 4455)—during the calendar year 2002 51,174 calls were received, with an average duration of 94 seconds;
	Welsh Language Public Enquiry Office (01554 821 413)—during the calendar year 2002 only four calls were received. The estimated average duration of these calls was 60 seconds;
	Gulf Veterans Advice Unit (020 7395 2375)—full records are not kept, but the average number of calls during 2002 was in the region of six a month. The number is an answer machine, which asks callers to leave their details so that their call can be returned at a later date. It also directs callers to the freephone number 0800 1694495.
	Defence Vetting Agency helpline (01904 662 644)—for the year from March 2002 to February 2003 the helpline received a total of 81,925 calls. On average, these calls lasted 122 seconds.

Iraq

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost to his Department was of missions involving the release of ordnance by UK aircraft over Iraq in each month since September 2001; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: The Ministry of Defence identifies the costs of operations in terms of the net additional costs it has incurred. It is not possible to separate out those costs attributable only to missions involving the release of ordnance, because they are an integral part of the whole operation.

Iraq

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will (a) place in the Library and (b) post on the departmental website on a daily basis the battle damage assessment for coalition forces in their invasion of Iraq.

Lewis Moonie: It would be inappropriate to make battle damage assessments available. To do so would provide the Iraqi regime with considerable information which might jeopardise the future effectiveness of coalition operations. I am therefore withholding this information under Exemption 1 (Defence, Security and International Relations) of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.
	Regular unclassified reports providing updated information on the progress of operations are placed in the Library of the House on days when no ministerial statement is made to the House.

Iraq

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Iraqi civilians have been (a) killed and (b) severely injured since the coalition forces invaded Iraq; and if he will place in the Library, on a daily basis, details of new deaths or severe injuries caused to Iraqi civilians by the use of military force in the invasion of Iraq.

Adam Ingram: We have no means of ascertaining the numbers of Iraqis killed or injured during the coalition's military action, although we make every effort to keep any impact upon the Iraqi civilian population to an absolute minimum. Saddam Hussein has a history of falsely claiming such casualties, and it would be wrong to accept all reports at face value. It would not be helpful to publish daily the details requested by the hon. Member before the facts have been accurately identified.

Iraq

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence under what powers Iraqi military personnel are held prisoner by UK forces; whether such prisoners are prisoners of war under the Geneva Convention; and if he will make a statement.

Geoff Hoon: holding answer 27 March 2003
	Coalition military action against Iraq is in conformity with international law. The taking of prisoners of war is a recognised and legitimate means of reducing an enemy's strength and fighting capacity. Iraqi military personnel who fall into the hands of United Kingdom forces will be treated in accordance with the Geneva Convention.

Iraq

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of the Baathist Party Fedayeen have been killed by British Marines in Basra since the invasion of Iraq began.

Adam Ingram: Personnel of 3 Commando Brigade, Royal Marines, have engaged both regular and irregular Iraqi forces which posed a direct threat to coalition forces on a number of occasions. Coalition forces have also attacked legitimate military and regime targets in and around Basra. The Ministry of Defence is unable to verify how many members of the Iraqi armed forces, Ba'ath Party or State Security Organisation have been killed as result of those operations.

Middle East (Health Advice)

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his answer of 12 March 2003, Official Report, column 277W, on Middle East (Health Advice), on what records he will rely if personnel returning from the Gulf consider that a failure by his Department to provide appropriate health briefings was a contributory factor to an illness from which they are suffering.

Lewis Moonie: The Ministry of Defence retains copies of pre-deployment health briefings for future reference.

Stress

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment has been made of the (a) prevalence and (b) causes of occupational stress in (i) Her Majesty's forces, (ii) the MOD Police and (iii) the MOD Guard Service.

Lewis Moonie: According to centrally held records, 13 Service personnel were medically discharged with occupational stress as the main cause between January 2001 and January 2003. Between 1 April 2002 and 7 March 2003, 10 officers in the Ministry of Defence Police were medically retired due to occupational stress or anxiety-related illnesses. No information is held centrally on the prevalence of occupational stress among members of the Ministry of Defence Guard Service.
	In 1998, the Royal Navy undertook a three-year study of occupational stress among naval personnel. This found that the two principal causes of stress were trying to balance work and home life and discord in working relationships, and that good supervisor support was very effective in managing stress.
	Our policies on occupational stress are kept under review in the light of developments in the field of stress management and treatment.

Stress

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what arrangements he plans to make to provide post traumatic stress disorder counselling to members of the armed forces following any possible action in Iraq.

Lewis Moonie: Service personnel deploying to the Gulf region are given briefings on health issues, including stress-related disorders, and mental health staff are available to personnel in theatre. Briefings will be given to personnel prior to leaving theatre. These will cover post traumatic stress reactions and the problems that may be encountered on returning home to families. Personnel identified by commanders or medical staff as being at special risk would be referred to mental health staff.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Iraqi Civilians

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Office what assistance the United Kingdom plans to provide to (a) Iraqi civilians hit by coalition missiles or bombs and (b) the family survivors of Iraqi civilians killed by the coalition invasion of Iraq.

Adam Ingram: I have been asked to reply.
	The United Kingdom takes its responsibilities toward the Iraqi people extremely seriously. Coalition forces are taking the utmost care to minimise the impact of the conflict on civilians and to provide humanitarian assistance where appropriate.

Anglo-French Relations

Michael Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to his oral answer of 25 March 2003, Official Report, column 153, on Anglo-French Relations, if he will publish the (a) analysis and (b) methodology behind that analysis of the cost of enlargement of the European Union; and if he will make a statement.

Denis MacShane: In my reply I inadvertently quoted a figure of 1.75 billion euros; this should be up to £1.75 billion. The estimate of the positive economic effect on UK GDP from enlargement is taken from a study by Baldwin R. E., J. F. Francois & Fortes R. (1997) "The costs and benefits of eastern enlargement: the impact on the EU and central Europe", Economic Policy, No. 24, April 1997. The study estimates have been updated to 1999 GDP figures and prices.

Cyprus

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the use of force in Northern Cyprus on 25 March to prevent the holding of a referendum on the Cyprus peace plan in the village of Doganci (Elye); and what action he is taking in response to the arrest of Erdogan Sorakin, Ahmet Barcin, Izzet Izcan, Niyazi Duzgun, Mehmet Bicen and Ali Gulle, political and trade union leaders in Northern Cyprus.

Denis MacShane: holding answer 31 March 2003
	We have followed the events of 25 March with great concern. We deplore any interference by the Turkish Cypriot authorities which curtails the Turkish Cypriots' rights of assembly and of free, peaceful expression of their political views. We have protested to the Turkish Cypriot authorities and continue to monitor the situation closely.

EU Enlargement

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate he has made of the cost to the UK of the proposed enlargement of the EU.

Richard Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the Government's estimate is of the effect of enlargement on Britain's contribution to the EU budget.

Denis MacShane: The Copenhagen European Council agreed Euro25.1 billion of payments for the new member states between 2004–06. This means the overall annual net cost of enlargement is less than one-thousandth of the GDP of the EU-15. And the UK's share of any additional cost will continue to be limited by the abatement.
	The Government publish forecasts of the UK's net contribution to the EC Budget as a whole rather than individual elements. Latest estimates of the UK's net contribution are set out in the footnote to table B17 of the November 2002 Pre-Budget Report (Cm 5664).

EU Enlargement

Richard Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate he has made of the consequences of the enlargement of the EU on the work load of the European Court of Justice; and what plans he has for reforms to allow the Court to deal with the consequence of enlargement.

Denis MacShane: holding answer 31 March 2003
	We expect an increased work load for the Community Courts after enlargement. The Government supports an effective European Court of Justice (ECJ). Changes under the Treaty of Nice will facilitate the allocation of work between the ECJ and the Court of First Instance (CFI), and provide for judicial panels to be attached to the CFI. Each new member state will appoint one judge to each court. The Government have been fully engaged in discussions in the Future of Europe Convention which are looking at various improvements relating to the work of the courts including how to improve the enforcement of EC law.

Kuwait

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the future use of the accumulated resources of the Kuwait Compensation Fund.

Mike O'Brien: The UK has supported the work of the UN Compensation Commission since its creation in 1991 and four out of six categories of claims arising from the illegal invasion of Kuwait by Iraq in 1991 have been resolved. 25 per cent. of Oil for Food funds continue to be paid to the UNCC. It would be open to the Security Council to change these arrangements in the future.

Somalia

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether Her Majesty's Government recognises Mr. Jama Ali Jama as the President of the Puntland State of Somalia.

Jack Straw: The UK recognises States, not Governments. We do not recognise "the Puntland State of Somalia".

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Commercial Confidentiality

Rob Marris: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what guidance her Department issues to civil servants on how to deal with claims from organisations that the information they provide to the Department is commercially confidential.

Clare Short: DFID officials are required to follow the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

Debt Relief

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to her answer to the hon. Member for Sutton and Cheam of 26 March, concerning debt stock reductions, how many of the qualifying HIPC countries have started to receive their debt relief.

Clare Short: To date, 26 countries out of a total of 37 eligible countries have qualified for relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative, and will receive over US$62 billion in debt relief. Of these, eight countries (Benin, Bolivia, Burkina Faso, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Tanzania and Uganda) have reached Completion Point. At this stage, they receive an irrevocable reduction in their stock of debt. The remaining 18 (Cameroon, Chad, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Guyana, Honduras, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Nicaragua, Niger, Rwanda, Sao Tome & Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Zambia) are receiving interim relief on their debt servicing payments. During this stage of the process, these countries are no longer required to make any further payments on the debt to be written off. We expect most of the remaining 18 countries to reach Completion Point within the next two years when they, too, will receive irrevocable debt relief. It is difficult to predict when the other 11 countries will qualify for HIPC relief, as many are still affected by conflict or severe governance problems. We expect the Democratic Republic of Congo to reach its Decision Point when the Transitional Government is installed and the Central African Republic, Comoros and Cote d'lvoire to do so later this year if appropriate progress is made. The remaining countries (Burundi, Congo Republic, Liberia, Myanmar, Somalia, Sudan and Togo) are a long way from qualifying, as they are affected by conflict or have serious governance concerns. But if the Sudan peace makes progress then debt relief will be made available to Sudan.

Eritrea

John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much development aid her Department has given to Eritrea in each of the last four financial years; and whether she plans to increase this in the next financial year.

Clare Short: The total development aid that my Department has provided to Eritrea in the most recent financial years for which we have figures available is:
	
		
			  £ million 
		
		
			  
			  
			 1998–99 0.868 
			 1999–2000 0.438 
			 2000–01 2.385 
			 2001–02 1.511 
		
	
	In addition we have provided support to Eritrea through the European Commission, where our share of European Development Fund 8 is 12.69 per cent. Our imputed share of EC contributions to the EC in the most recent four years that we have data for is:
	
		
			  £ million 
		
		
			  
			  
			 1997 0.7 
			 1998 0.6 
			 1999 0.7 
			 2000 0.7 
		
	
	We do not have a development partnership with Eritrea. We will continue to make a contribution to meeting urgent humanitarian needs, and to the consolidation of the peace process. We will also continue to assess the scope for helping with economic and political reform.

Eritrea

John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment she has made of the humanitarian situation in Eritrea.

Clare Short: DFID continually monitors the humanitarian situation in Eritrea. In addition we have regular contacts with UN and international NGO relief organisations, and our Embassy in Eritrea regularly reports on humanitarian matters.
	A visit by DFID officials at the end of January confirmed our view that there are significant humanitarian needs in the country, with high rates of malnutrition demonstrated in many areas, particularly in the Anseba and North Red Sea zones. Our humanitarian assistance, which has focused on meeting the most urgent needs, has amounted to just over £3.35 million since the beginning of 2002.

Eritrea

John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent discussions her Department has had with the United Nations Humanitarian Co-ordinator in Eritrea on aid reserves in Eritrea.

Clare Short: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer that I gave the hon. Member for Guildford (Sue Doughty) on 26 March 2003, Official Report, column 244W.

Guatemala

Huw Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent representations the Government have made to the Government of Guatemala on the problem of street children; and if she will make a statement.

Clare Short: The Government have been monitoring closely the Government of Guatemala's compliance to the UN Convention On The Rights of the Child, and we have raised our concerns about the deaths of street children on a number of occasions bilaterally. The UK also supported an EU statement critical of the Government of Guatemala's record of safeguarding human rights, at last year's multi donor Consultative Group meeting.

Iraq

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will list the aid agencies she supports which work in Iraq.

Clare Short: During the current crisis DFID has committed £32 million to Red Cross/Red Crescent movements; £8 million to WFP; £5 million to NGOs (£1.1 million of which has been specifically agreed with individual NGOs to date—Merlin, the International Medical Corps, Save the Children UK and HelpAGE); £2 million to UNICEF; £1.75 million to UNHCR; £1 million to WHO; £150,000 to OCHA; £100,000 to UNSECOORD. In addition I have announced a £65 million commitment to the UN flash appeal which will be allocated to individual UN agencies in due course.
	In the past DFID has provided support to the following NGOs.
	Northern Iraq:
	Save the Children UK; HelpAge International; Christian Aid; Response Relief Resettlement & Rehabilitation (4Rs); A Community Oriented Rehabilitation Network (ACORN).
	Baghdad controlled Iraq:
	International Committee of the Red Cross, UNICEF, CARE International UK.

Iraq

Vera Baird: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps the Government is taking to separate military and humanitarian objectives and actions in Iraq.

Clare Short: The coalition military are responsible for the provision of humanitarian assistance as set down in the Hague Regulations and Geneva Conventions governing Armed Conflict. The Treasury has allocated £30 million to the Ministry of Defence for this purpose. DFID is advising the MOD on its humanitarian work.
	Separately DFID is providing humanitarian assistance in Iraq on the basis of greatest need. DFID has earmarked £210 million for this, the bulk of which will be allocated through the UN, Red Cross and international NGOs.

Iraq

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment she has made of the impact on her annual humanitarian aid budget for 2003–04 of re-allocating to Iraq resources earmarked for global assistance to Iraq.

Clare Short: Existing DFID budget plans have not been diverted to fund our assistance to Iraq. The purpose of the DFID Contingency reserve is to deal with unforeseen emergencies.

Iraq

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps her Department is taking to address the humanitarian impact of military action in Iraq on neighbouring countries, with particular reference to (a) Jordan and (b) Iran.

Clare Short: My Department has committed £115 million to support the UN agencies, Red Cross/Red Crescent and NGOs to enable them to provide humanitarian assistance where it is needed. All these groups are active in Jordan and Iran.
	In addition DFID has humanitarian advisers in Jordan and Iran who are undertaking regular situation assessments on the ground.
	The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) report no substantial refugee flows, as yet, into the countries surrounding Iraq.
	Latest information is available in daily updates on the situation in Iraq and surrounding countries, which can be obtained from the House of Commons Library.

Iraq

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps are being taken by her Department to support aid agencies in establishing first aid centres for Iraqi civilians caught up in any conflict.

Clare Short: DFID has committed £115 million to support work by humanitarian agencies in the current crisis and has £95 million set aside for further contributions. A number of these agencies such as the Red Cross/Red Crescent, WHO, UNICEF, Merlin, International Medical Corps and Save the Children UK operate in the health sector. Their activities include the provision of mobile health units, first aid posts, hospital rehabilitation, trauma care and health facilities in refugee and Internally Displaced People camps.

Iraq

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what representations she has received concerning a time scale for the handover of military-led humanitarian operations in Iraq to UN agencies and NGOs.

Clare Short: The UK is committed to humanitarian assistance being provided by civilian agencies wherever possible, on the basis of need, and not as part of a military strategy. However, humanitarian agencies cannot operate until a permissive security environment has been established. The Office of the UN Security Co-ordinator (UNSECOORD) provides security advice to the UN humanitarian agencies and will determine when UN agencies can enter southern Iraq. NGOs will need to undertake their own security assessments before engaging.
	Some NGOs and UN agencies remain active in Northern and Baghdad controlled Iraq.

Iraq

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development 
	(1)  what representations she has received concerning the time scale for a UN resolution on a mandate for the reconstruction of Iraq; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  with whom she has discussed the possibility of a UN authority in Iraq before the establishment of a transitional Iraqi Government.

Clare Short: The Government is working to secure a UN mandate to provide legal authority for the reconstruction effort in Iraq. This will make possible the engagement of the International Financial Institutions and the wider international community. We are holding ongoing discussions with key partners, including Security Council members, on this issue. It is important that the UN mandate should be established as soon as possible.

Iraq

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what proportion of her Department's contingency reserve for 2003–04 has been earmarked for Iraq.

Clare Short: I have earmarked £75 million from my Department's contingency reserve for Iraq. This is 75 per cent. of my 2003–04 contingency reserve.

Iraq

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment she has made of the adequacy of funds in the existing UN escrow accounts to meet the humanitarian needs of the Iraqi people over the next three months.

Clare Short: The Security Council unanimously approved a resolution authorising the UN Secretary General to manage the Oil-for-Food (OFF) programme. This is very important for the 16 million Iraqis who rely on the OFF for survival.
	The UN believes that some humanitarian needs might be met from existing OFF escrow accounts. The UN will keep the international community abreast of any adjustments to the flash appeal that they issued on 28 March 2003 to cover humanitarian needs over the next six months.

Iraq

William Cash: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to her answer to the hon. Member for Richmond Park (Dr. Tonge) of 26 March 2003, Official Report, column 277, what the legal basis is for her statements (a) that UK armed forces are in Iraq as an occupying power, with humanitarian responsibilities and duties to keep order and the civil administration running; and (b) that they do not have the authority to reorganise institutions or establish a new Government.

Clare Short: These statements are based on legal advice on the applicability of the 1907 Hague Regulations and the 1949 Geneva Conventions. Article 55 of the Fourth Geneva Convention states that: "To the fullest extent of the means available to it, the Occupying Power has the duty of ensuring the food and medical supplies of the population; it should, in particular, bring in the necessary foodstuffs, medical stores and other articles if the resources of the occupied territory are inadequate". Section III of the Hague Regulations sets out the limits of military authority over the territory of an occupied state; parts of the Geneva Conventions are also relevant.

Kenya

John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment she has made of the humanitarian situation in the northern pastoral regions of Kenya that border Uganda, Sudan, Ethiopia and Somalia; and what assistance her Department is providing to alleviate poverty in the pastoral regions of Kenya.

Clare Short: Following several years of poor rains and drought the food security situation in northern Kenya remains precarious. Following recent rain in the north and north-eastern border areas, livestock and grazing conditions there are satisfactory. But the rains have not yet come to the north-west, and some livestock losses there have been reported. DFID staff in Kenya are in close touch with UN and other agencies which are closely monitoring the situation.
	Since 1999 DFID has spent over £18 million on drought-related assistance to Kenya. Most of this has been targeted on the north of the country. DFID is also supporting longer term initiatives to reduce poverty in these areas, both through our core contributions to UN agencies such as the World Food Programme, and by supporting NGOs, including Oxfam and EPAG, working on conflict resolution and a range of activities to help people to secure and enhance their livelihoods.

Middle East

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent discussions she has had with non-governmental organisations working in Palestine.

Clare Short: My Department is in regular contact with a wide range of international and Palestinian non-governmental organisations. I recently participated in the launch of Christian Aid's report "Losing ground—Israel, poverty and the Palestinians" about the alarming rise in poverty among ordinary Palestinians.

Western Sahara

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assistance her Department is providing to the indigenous people of the Western Sahara.

Clare Short: DFID provides support to the Saharawi refugees through its contributions to the European Community Humanitarian Office (ECHO) and the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

Western Sudan

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development 
	(1)  what support Her Majesty's Government are giving to the Fur and other indigenous peoples of Dafur in Western Sudan;
	(2)  what humanitarian aid is being made available to the people of Darfur, Sudan.

Clare Short: DFID closely monitors the situation in Darfur and has regularly intervened to address humanitarian needs, and will continue to do so. We are also closely involved in supporting the peace process. A successful conclusion to this will bring real benefits to Darfur as to all other parts of Sudan.
	At present we have a £500,000 grant for Save the Children to trace abducted women and children, then reunify with the their families in Darfur. There have not been any other specific contributions to NGO's working in Darfur so far this year; however, we have contributed £2,500,000 to the World Food Programme's 2003 Emergency Food Operations in Sudan and £2,500,000 to the International Committee of the Red Cross 2003 Appeal for Sudan; additionally we have given £900,000 to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, which includes an element to provide a response to humanitarian needs where necessary. The WFP, ICRC and OCHA are able to provide humanitarian assistance to Darfur if needs are demonstrated.

Zimbabwe

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment she has made of the need for her Department to assist with humanitarian relief in Zimbabwe.

Clare Short: Continuing misgovernment, together with late rains, means that the crisis in food production in Zimbabwe will persist for the third consecutive year. Current DFID and UN feeding programmes for Zimbabwe extend until June 2003. A specific programme will be developed once detailed assessments and the plans of the Zimbabwe Government are published. In the meantime our contingency planning has been done and we expect to maintain some support for humanitarian needs for a further year, working with the UN and non-governmental agencies.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

National Lottery

John Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  if he will place in the Library the business case for merging the Community Fund and the New Opportunities Fund;
	(2)  what estimate she has made of the administrative savings as a result of merging the Community Fund and the New Opportunities Fund.

Tessa Jowell: Merging the two bodies is expected to achieve administrative savings and allow better co-ordination of funding. The case for merger will be set out in a White Paper later this year following consultation with the voluntary sector.

National Lottery

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport which parliamentary constituencies received less than (a) half and (b) a quarter of the median for lottery grant funding in the year for which latest figures are available.

Richard Caborn: The following list, which is based upon information supplied to us by the distributing bodies for the National Lottery awards database, shows (in alphabetical order) parliamentary constituencies which have received less than half and a quarter of the median for Lottery grant funding for the period 1 March 2002 to 28 February 2003.
	UK Constituencies : less than ½ median
	Aldridge-Brownhills
	Banff & Buchan
	Batley and Spen
	Blackburn
	Blaydon
	Bosworth
	Bracknell
	Bristol South
	Buckingham
	Carrick, Cumnock & Doon Valley
	Carshalton and Wallington
	Chesham and Amersham
	Cleethorpes
	Clydebank & Milngavie
	Colne Valley
	Congleton
	Coventry North West
	Crawley
	Crosby
	Croydon South
	Cunninghame South
	Dagenham
	Dartford
	Denton and Reddish
	Derby North
	Dewsbury
	Dudley South
	Dundee East
	Dunfermline East
	Ealing North
	East Devon
	East Lothian
	East Surrey
	Enfield, Southgate
	Epping Forest
	Esher and Walton
	Fylde
	Glasgow Baillieston
	Glasgow Pollok
	Glasgow Springburn
	Gravesham
	Guildford
	Halesowen and Rowley Regis
	Hamilton South
	Harrogate and Knaresborough
	Hazel Grove
	Henley
	Hyndburn
	Leeds North East
	Lewisham East
	Lichfield
	Liverpool, Garston
	Liverpool, West Derby
	Loughborough
	Ludlow
	Macclesfield
	Maidenhead
	Makerfield
	Mid Dorset and North Poole
	Mid Sussex
	Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland
	Milton Keynes South West
	Mole Valley
	Normanton
	North Dorset
	North East Milton Keynes
	North Swindon
	North Tayside
	North Wiltshire
	Orpington
	Paisley South
	Perth
	Portsmouth North
	Rochford and Southend East
	Romsey
	Runnymede and Weybridge
	Scunthorpe
	Sheffield, Hallam
	Sheffield, Heeley
	Sheffield, Hillsborough
	Sittingbourne and Sheppey
	Solihull
	South Ribble
	South Staffordshire
	South West Bedfordshire
	South West Hertfordshire
	Southend West
	Stone
	Stroud
	Surrey Heath
	Tamworth
	Tatton
	Tewkesbury
	Tonbridge and Malling
	Uxbridge
	Vale of Glamorgan
	Wimbledon
	Wokingham
	UK constituencies: less than ¼ median
	Aberdeen South
	Altrincham and Sale West
	Alyn and Deeside
	Basingstoke
	Billericay
	Birmingham, Erdington
	Birmingham, Hall Green
	Birmingham, Hodge Hill
	Birmingham, Northfield
	Birmingham, Yardley
	Blaby
	Bognor Regis and Littlehampton
	Brent North
	Bury South
	Cheadle
	Chingford and Woodford Green
	Christchurch
	Corby
	Don Valley
	East Hampshire
	East Yorkshire
	Edinburgh West
	Elmet
	Folkestone and Hythe
	Gedling
	Gillingham
	Glasgow Anniesland
	Grantham and Stamford
	Harlow
	Harrow West
	Havant
	Hemel Hempstead
	Hornchurch
	Horsham
	Houghton and Washington East
	Morley and Rothwell
	Newport East
	North East Cambridgeshire
	North East Derbyshire
	North Warwickshire
	North West Cambridgeshire
	North West Hampshire
	Northampton North
	Ochil
	Rayleigh
	Reading West
	Redditch
	Romford
	Ruislip-Northwood
	Saffron Walden
	Southport
	Spelthorne
	Stoke-on-Trent North
	Stoke-on-Trent South
	Strathkelvin and Bearsden
	Sutton Coldfield
	Upminster
	Wellingborough
	Wells
	West Renfrewshire
	West Suffolk
	Wirral West
	Worsley

National Lottery

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  which 20 parliamentary constituencies made the greatest number of applications for lottery funding in the last year for which statistics are available;
	(2)  if she will list for the National Lottery Awards For All scheme (a) the average number of applications per constituency, (b) the average number of applications for each Eastern Area constituency and (c) the average number of applications for Castle Point, in each of the last three years for which statistics are held;
	(3)  what the average number of applications for lottery grants for (a) all constituencies, (b) Eastern Area constituencies and (c) Castle Point was in the last year for which statistics exist.

Richard Caborn: Comprehensive information on applications for lottery grants is not centrally held at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

National Lottery

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will set out (a) the average grant given for all constituencies, (b) the average grant given for eastern area constituencies and (c) the average grant given for Castle Point under the National Lottery Awards For All scheme in each of the last three years for which statistics are held.

Richard Caborn: The following table, which is based upon information supplied to us by the distributing bodies for the National Lottery awards database, sets out the average grant given for all constituencies 1 , the average grant given for Eastern Area constituencies 2 and the average award to Castle Point under the National Lottery Awards For All scheme over the last three years.
	
		
			  1 March 2000 to28 February 2001 1 March 2001 to28 February 2002 1 March 2002 to28 February 2003 
		
		
			 Average grant given for all UK constituencies 3,190.91 3,516.44 3,589.95 
			 Average grant given for eastern area constituencies 2,985.25 3,485.96 3,361.03 
			 Average grant given for Castle Point 3,089.17 3,084.10 3,202.17 
		
	
	1 This has been calculated by taking the average grant for each UK constituency, and then identifying the median average of those averages.
	2 We have defined the eastern area as the eastern region. Since regions are defined by local authorities not constituencies some constituencies may cross the regional boundary. This means that some awards will have been included because they are within a constituency, though the postcode may fall outside the region.

National Lottery

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the policy of Sport England is on paying instalments of lottery grants directly to project contractors rather than via project trustees of the charities involved.

Richard Caborn: As a Lottery award is a legally binding contract between Sport England and the applicant organisation, it is Sport England's policy to make payments only to the applicant.

Sports Facilities

Mr. Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what action she is taking to increase the number of people (a) trained and (b) employed to coach under 18s participating in sport outside school.

Richard Caborn: Further to the answer which my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State gave on 24 July 2002, Official Report, columns 1162–63W, this Department has been planning implementation of the key recommendations of the Coaching Task Force with delivery agencies, national governing bodies, county sports partnerships and other stakeholders. In the coming year, I expect the first phase of Community Sports Coaches to be operational, the majority of Coach Development Officers to be appointed, significant development of the National Coaching Certificate to be completed and support funding for national governing bodies to be in place.

Tote

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when she expects to introduce a bill to change the status of the Tote; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Caborn: We plan to bring forward proposals for pre-legislative scrutiny and then a Bill as soon as parliamentary time allows.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Criminal Records Bureau

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the costs were of producing the video sent to all registered bodies detailing the application procedures of security vetting procedures for school staff.

Hilary Benn: The total cost of producing the video entitled "Completing Disclosure application forms" that was sent to all registered bodies detailing the application procedures and security vetting procedures was £34,684.74 excluding VAT. It is not aimed exclusively at those wishing to vet school staff, but at the whole range of organisations and business sectors that wish to use the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) Disclosure service. The video aims to guide viewers through the application process and how to ensure that applications are handled as efficiently as possible.

Criminal Records Bureau

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many people applying for employment in schools are awaiting clearance from the Criminal Records Bureau in (a) the Bury St. Edmunds constituency, (b) Suffolk, (c) Norfolk, (d) Cambridgeshire and (e) England;
	(2)  how many people applying for employment in residential care and nursing homes are awaiting clearance from the Criminal Records Bureau in (a) Bury St. Edmunds, (b) Suffolk, (c) Norfolk and (d) England.

Hilary Benn: Data on outstanding applications for specific job types in the areas requested is not available because there are no IT procedures at present to extract this data from the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) database. This functionality is expected to be available during subsequent system releases.
	The estimated average turnaround of checks processed by the CRB remains at approximately five weeks. This is measured from the point at which a correctly completed form is received by the CRB, accompanied by all relevant supporting details.

CCTV

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to increase the funding available for CCTV schemes in the Buckingham constituency.

Bob Ainsworth: We are providing £94 million in 2003–04 for local crime reduction activities and action against drugs, including CCTV schemes. Aylesbury Vale Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership has been allocated a total of £176,346.
	In addition, we are making available to local police commanders in 2003–04 a special £50 million Basic Command Unit (BCU) fund for them to use in tackling the problems that matter most in their communities. Police commanders will be able to target the extra resources at local level problems, like anti-social behaviour and drugs, deploying CCTV where appropriate. Aylesbury Vale BCU will receive £110,782 from this source.

Community Service

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance he gives on the types of activity which are appropriate for a person sentenced to community service.

Hilary Benn: Individual probation areas have discretion over the type of unpaid work that is assigned to offenders sentenced to community punishment (the new name for what was community service). Home Office National Standards for the Supervision of Offenders in the Community require probation areas to ensure that unpaid work is physically, emotionally or mentally demanding, so that it constitutes an effective deterrent to offending behaviour and a credible alternative to custody. Further guidance specifies that activities should take into account the needs of individuals, such as those related to gender, ethnicity or ability, meet health and safety requirements and must not replace work that would normally be carried out by paid employees. Typical unpaid work includes canal clearance, removal of graffiti and the decoration of community centres.

Crime (Humberside)

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the population of each prison in Haltemprice and Howden was in each year since 1997.

Hilary Benn: The population of Everthorpe and The Wolds is given in the table.
	
		
			  The Wolds Everthorpe 
		
		
			 1997 (30 June) 399 463 
			 1998 (30 June) 398 468 
			 1999 (30 June) 394 463 
			 2000 (30 June) 401 458 
			 2001 (30 June) 397 465 
			 2002 (30 June) 409 374 
			 2003 (26 March) 348 373

Crime (Humberside)

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many juvenile offenders have breached (a) probation conditions and (b) curfew orders in the East Riding of Yorkshire in each year since 1997.

Hilary Benn: The Probation Order became the Community Rehabilitation Order in April 2001. Breaches dealt with by courts in the East Riding of Yorkshire, and the relevant Crown court, were as follows:
	
		
			  CommunityRehabilitation Orders Curfew Orders 
		
		
			 1997 0 0 
			 1998 0 0 
			 1999 0 0 
			 2000 1 0 
			 2001 1 0

Domestic Violence

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidelines he issues to local authorities regarding (a) the content and (b) the frequency of review of domestic violence policy at local authority level.

Bob Ainsworth: I have not issued guidelines to local authorities on domestic violence policy at local authority level. I have, however, announced that £14 million will be made available over the next three years to assist with the development of local responses to domestic violence, and that the Home Office will be working with the Local Government Authority (LGA) to fund a post to support this work.

Prison Statistics

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many female prisoners under the age of 18 were detained in Holloway prison (a) six months ago, (b) one year ago and (c) five years ago; and how many are held there now.

Hilary Benn: The information requested is given in the table.
	
		Population of female prisoners aged under 18 in Holloway Prison
		
			 Month/year Number 
		
		
			 June 1998 5 
			 January 2002 13 
			 July 2002 11 
			 January 2003 10

Prison Statistics

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  pursuant to his answer of 17 March, Official Report, column 586W, on the Inmate Information System (IIS), what percentage of inmates serving sentences have had their records linked to the IIS; what measures are being taken to address the limitations of the system; and what timetable he has set for rectifying these limitations;
	(2)  pursuant to his answer of 17 March, Official Report, column 586W, on the Inmate Information System (IIS), which computer systems are being considered as replacements for the IIS; and what the costs are of the systems being considered.

Hilary Benn: All prisons and prisoner records are linked to the Inmate Information System (IIS), although any linking of current records to previous custody information is done manually, as I outlined in my answer of 17 March 2003, Official Report, column 586W, to the hon. Member. It is not possible to provide a percentage of the records that are linked in this way, as no central record is maintained of this information.
	However, prisons do routinely receive details of previous convictions from the court or police authorities and everything possible is done to link current records with previous custody information.
	The current IIS system is being reviewed and the linking of information, both on previous periods in custody and more widely with other Criminal Justice agencies, will be a major consideration of that review. This work is at its initial stages and it is not yet possible to give any firm details of likely timescales, costs or computer systems involved in the implementation.

Prison Statistics

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners were being held in police cells at police stations within the Greater London area on 20 March.

Hilary Benn: On 20 March 2003, there were no Prison Service prisoners being held in police cells at police stations in the Greater London area under Operation Safeguard.

Prison Statistics

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his answer of 6 March 2003, Official Report, column 1243W, on prisons, what measures the Government is taking to ensure the current planned uncrowded capacity for prisons in England and Wales in 2004 is closer to his Department's forecast average prison population for the same year.

Hilary Benn: The Government has provided resources for the Prison Service to increase uncrowded capacity from 66,000 places in 2003 to 67,000 places in 2004. It is recognised that uncrowded population in 2004. However, capacity planning assumes that the Prison Service not only uses accommodation efficiently but that some accommodation can be overcrowded where appropriate services and regime facilities are provided. Care is taken by the Prison Service to assess the risks to safety, security and control which increase as population pressures rise. The risks are monitored and all possible steps, including limiting the number of prisoners held in any prison, are taken to mitigate their impact.
	The Prison service continues to investigate options for providing further increases in capacity over the coming years, as part of the Government's prison modernisation strategy. This is based on a combination of expanding capacity in existing prisons that we want to keep in the long term, and a programme to build new large multifunction prisons.

Police (Leicestershire)

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many complaints were made against police officers of the Leicestershire constabulary in the last year for which figures are available.

Bob Ainsworth: Statistics of complaints against the police for the 12 months to 31 March 2002 were published in the Home Office Statistical Bulletin 04/03. A total of 310 complaints were recorded against officers of the Leicestershire constabulary.

Drug Treatment and Testing Orders

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the success of drug treatment and testing orders with reference to the HM Inspectorate of Probation Report, A long way in a short time, on the implementation of the orders.

Hilary Benn: holding answer 28 March 2003
	Drug Treatment and Testing Orders (DTTOs) work. They can get offenders off drugs and away from a life of crime and they help to relieve the misery and blight that drugs misuse causes, not only to the individuals concerned but to communities also. We very much welcome the report by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Probation, which is generally very positive and recognises the efforts of the National Probation Service and its partners in ensuring that this new sentencing option is widely available and effectively delivered. The report also reflects a high level of sentencer satisfaction with the DTTO.
	However, we realise there is more that needs to be done, and work has already begun to address this. With the strong foundations that now exist and the extra investment set out in the Updated Drugs Strategy we will continue to make progress.

Rape Trials

Vera Baird: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the research evaluating the effect of section 41 of the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Bill 1999 on the admission of previous sexual history in rape trials will be published.

Hilary Benn: holding answer 28 March 2003
	The research project began in November 2002 and is expected to continue into next year. We hope to publish the findings by late summer 2004

Young Offenders

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average time to fast track young offenders through the courts in (a) Suffolk, (b) Norfolk, (c) Essex and (d) Cambridgeshire was in each year since 1997.

Hilary Benn: The average number of days from arrest to sentence for persistent young offenders in England and Wales, from 1997 to 2002, for the Criminal Justice Areas of Suffolk, Norfolk, Essex and Cambridgeshire is listed in the table along with the corresponding national averages.
	
		
			 Area(11) 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 
		
		
			 Cambridgeshire 145 115 88 85 91 66 
			 Essex 144 128 115 79 65 67 
			 Norfolk 107 110 92 78 63 72 
			 Suffolk 154 132 110 81 77 74 
			 England and Wales 141 125 108 93 76 69 
		
	
	(11) The area classification is based on the police force that investigated the offence and entered the charge or summons details on the Police National Computer. In a small proportion of cases prosecution and court proceedings may have been in different areas.

LORD CHANCELLOR

Child Contact Orders

Andrew Turner: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many applications for enforcement of child contact orders came before the courts in each of the last three years for which information is available.

Rosie Winterton: Applications for enforcement can take various forms. Besides an application for the respondent to show reasons why (s)he should not be sent to prison or fined for breaching a previous order, the applicant may also ask the court for directions as to how a contact order can be made to work or the applicant might make a fresh application for contact. While my Department collects data on applications for contact (55,030 in 2001) this does not differentiate between new applications and repeat applications. Statistics on numbers of applications for Directions or for Reasons to Show Cause (enforcement) are not collected.

Child Contact Orders

Andrew Turner: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if she will list the recommendations of the Children Act sub-Committee Report "Making Contact Work" which were (a) accepted (i) with and (ii) without conditions, and (b) rejected; what steps the Government have taken to implement each recommendation; and which recommendations she will implement within the next 12 months.

Rosie Winterton: The Government's interim response to the "Making Contact Work" report was published on 6 August 2002. It acknowledged the valuable contribution the report made in addressing the difficult, and sensitive issue of children's contact with a non-resident parent. A copy of the report was placed in the Libraries of both Houses. It set out the work being carried out, with representatives from the judiciary, legal professions, CAFCASS, other Government Departments, academia and the voluntary sector, to achieve the improvements envisaged by the Children Act sub-Committee. Work continues in the four key areas of information and communication, safety, child contact centres; and facilitation and enforcement. A full response will be published in the summer setting out those recommendations already implemented and how we propose to address the changes envisaged by the Children Act sub-Committee.

Child Contact Orders

Andrew Turner: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what research has been undertaken on the number of child contact orders which are complied with.

Rosie Winterton: A survey on contact issues has been conducted by the Office for National Statistics on behalf of my Department, the results of which are currently being analysed. The aim of the research is to establish a baseline of contact by identifying how contact was agreed; parental satisfaction with the arrangements; and what are the barriers to effective contact. In addition, research has been commissioned (for completion in 2004) to examine what makes contact work and the impact of parents getting another partner and step families.

Court of Protection (Consultation Process)

Annette Brooke: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department whether there is a formal process of consultation with the legal guardians of minors who have compensation payments held by the Court of Protection (a) immediately after a judgement has been made and (b) at any other stage.

Rosie Winterton: The Court of Protection will only become involved in cases where the minor is also a patient, and the award is at least £20,000. In cases where the Court of Protection is involved, it will appoint a receiver. In the case of a large award the Master of the Court will normally meet the parents/receivers to discuss a monthly budget, any capital which needs to be set aside (e.g. for purchasing property, a car, or special equipment), and the investment of the remainder. The Court will approve an investment strategy. Where the award is large enough to warrant a segregated portfolio, the parent (or receiver in cases where the receiver, is not one of the parents) is given the opportunity to agree the investment broker's proposals for implementing the Court's investment strategy. If the parent/receiver wishes to change the investment strategy, he or she needs to satisfy the Court that the change would be in the child's best interests.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Award Schemes

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will list the award schemes in (a) 2001 and (b) 2002 promoted by the Department; what their scope was when the relevant participating organisations are scheduled to be sent results; and whether other parties will be given notification of the results at the same time.

Ian McCartney: The information requested has been placed in the Library.

Child Support

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many parents with care would have been entitled to receive a maintenance disregard of up to £10 a week if the child support reforms had been implemented on the original planned date; and if he will estimate how much extra in income-related benefits they would have received over this period.

Malcolm Wicks: The information requested is not available. Reliable estimates are not available for the proportion of lone parents who would have claimed Income Support or income based Job Seekers Allowance between April 2002 and March 2003 and for whom maintenance would have been both calculated and paid.

Child Support

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to his oral Answer of 10 February, Official Report, column 636, on the Child Support Agency, what the latest estimates he has made of the numbers of (a) gainers and (b) losers under the new maintenance calculation formula; and what the average amount (i) gained and (ii) lost is for (A) non-resident parents and (B) parents with care.

Malcolm Wicks: The Government is reforming the child support scheme to ensure that more children benefit from regular maintenance. The reformed scheme will enable the Child Support Agency to deliver support more effectively to parents with care and their children, will help non-resident parents meet their responsibilities and will help to tackle child poverty. The new scheme will be more transparent, easier for parents to understand, easier for the Agency to calculate maintenance and enforce payment, so children will get the support they need. It will be based on a simple rate, so non-resident parents will know in advance how much maintenance they must pay.
	Of those non-resident parents who are earning an income, about 60 per cent. of will have a reduced maintenance liability, and about 40 per cent. will have an increased liability. A further 60 per cent. of those non-resident parents on benefit will have an increased liability for maintenance. Currently, 75 per cent. of NRPs on benefit are treated as having no liability; under the new scheme we expect them to pay a flat rate of £5 to the parent with care.
	About 55 per cent. of working parents with care will have a higher maintenance calculation and 40 per cent. will have a lower one. In addition, more than 90 per cent. of parents with care on income support/income-based Jobseeker's Allowance (around one third of a million people) will gain from the Child Maintenance Premium.
	We expect that the majority of changes to maintenance liabilities will be for amounts less than £10.
	This data is based on an analysis carried out in 2001, and reflects the position had all cases converted to the new scheme on the day of the scan. Since then, average income levels of non-resident parents have increased, which would reduce the fall in the level of maintenance liabilities. To mitigate the effect of substantial change in individual cases, changes may be phased for up to five years.

Departmental Creche Facilities

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what creche facilities are provided by his Department; and at what cost.

Ian McCartney: The current provisions available are:
	
		
			  Total number Places 
		
		
			 Nurseries 26 443 
			 Playschemes 100 1,364 
		
	
	Financial accountability is mainly at local business unit level and so details of the overall costs incurred in providing assistance with childcare are not available centrally. Investment in each childcare facility is based on a business case which must demonstrate business viability and value for money.

Departmental Staff

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many civil servants have been employed by (a) his Department and (b) each of its agencies and non-departmental bodies in each year from 1994–95 to 2002–03; and if he will make a statement.

Ian McCartney: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Cabinet Office on 22 January 2003.

Health and Safety Executive

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many prosecutions have been made by the Health and Safety Executive in each year since it was established.

Nick Brown: The number of prosecutions following HSE investigation in each year since HSE was established is as follows:
	
		
			 Year Separate offences prosecuted (Great Britain) 
		
		
			 1975 2,956 
			 1976 2,169 
			 1977 2,768 
			 1978 2,582 
			 1979 2,127 
			 1980 2,438 
			 1981 1,892 
			 1982 2,351 
			 1983 2,238 
			 1984 2,209 
			 1985 2,321 
			 1986–87 2,199 
			 1987–88 2,337 
			 1988–89 2,328 
			 1989–90 2,653 
			 1990–91 2,312 
			 1991–92 2,424 
			 1992–93 2,157 
			 1993–94 1,793 
			 1994–95 1,803 
			 1995–96 1,767 
			 1996–97 1,490 
			 1997–98 1,627 
			 1998–99 1,759 
			 1999–2000 2,115 
			 2000–01 1,973 
			 2001–02(12) 2,035 
		
	
	(12) Provisional
	Notes:
	1. The figures given are for calendar years between 1975 and 1985 and for planning years (1 April to 31 March) from 1986–87 onwards. The figures before 1985 rely on published data. A figure for the planning year 1985–86 is not available.
	2. In England and Wales, HSE inspectors initiate prosecutions. In Scotland, the Procurator Fiscal decides whether to bring a prosecution; HSE recommends prosecution when this is justified following an investigation.

Hepatitis C

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to his answer of 25 March 2003, Official Report, column 171W, on Hepatitis C, what broader issues have been raised; and which Government Departments are involved in the discussions.

Malcolm Wicks: The Scottish Executive's proposal to compensate Hepatitis C sufferers who contracted the virus through contaminated blood has raised the issue of the legal competence of the Scottish Executive, which has wider implications for the UK Government as a whole.
	It would be inappropriate for me to comment further until discussions about the proposal have reached a conclusion.

Income Statistics

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average net income of (a) female workers, (b) male workers and (c) all workers is in (i) Great Britain and (ii) Scotland.

Patricia Hewitt: The average weekly net income figures for 2000–01 are in the table:
	
		£
		
			  Great Britain Scotland 
		
		
			 Female workers 226 217 
			 Male workers 358 335 
			 All workers 299 282

IT Facilities

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will place in the Library copies of guidelines issued to staff in his Department and its agencies on appropriate use of IT facilities; if he will list the dates on which they were (a) published and (b) distributed; and if he will make a statement on the means by which the information was disseminated to staff members.

Ian McCartney: Since the Department for Work and Pensions was created in June 2001 the following guidance on the use of IT has been issued:
	Internal Security fact sheets—issued to all staff in July 2002
	Managers Guide to Security—published on the Departmental intranet in August 2002
	Electronic Media Policy—published on the Departmental intranet in August 2002.
	Copies of the guidance have been placed in the Library.

Hospital Discharges/Readmissions

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps his Department is taking to ensure that (a) discharge and (b) re-admission (i) rates and (ii) causes are closely monitored by NHS trusts.

Jacqui Smith: I have been asked to reply.
	Data on delayed discharges and re-admissions are collected centrally every three months. The National Health Service and social services departments have an interest in monitoring these as part of planning to achieve national priorities and targets. In preparing for implementation of the Community Care (Delayed Discharges etc) Bill, health and social care agencies will also have an incentive in tracking individual patients through the system to understand the causes of delays and re-admissions.

Child Dependency Increases/Benefits

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in which month new claims to child dependency increases in each of the non-means tested benefits will be abolished for new claimants; and how many families in each subsequent year are expected to be affected by the change.

Malcolm Wicks: Child dependency increases (CDIs) in Incapacity Benefit, Invalid Care Allowance, Retirement Pension, Severe Disablement Allowance, Widowed Mother's Allowance and Widowed Parent's Allowance will be abolished for new claimants in April 2003. It is estimated that around 211,000 families currently claim a CDI in these benefits.
	There were around 20,000 new claims to CDIs in Incapacity Benefit, Severe Disablement Allowance and Invalid Care Allowance in both 2000–01 and 2001–02. Figures for Retirement Pension, Widowed Mother's Allowance and Widowed Parent's Allowance are not available.
	From April, families on these benefits will be eligible to-receive the Child Tax Credit—regardless of whether or not they are in receipt of a CDI. Many will become eligible for income-related support for the first time, meaning that 85 per cent. CDI recipients would gain from the introduction of CTC even if existing entitlements were not preserved.

Pensioners

Bill Tynan: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners in Hamilton, South receive the minimum income guarantee.

Ian McCartney: As at November 2002 there were 2,800 people receiving the minimum income guarantee in the Hamilton, South constituency.
	Source:
	Income Support Quarterly Statistical Enquiry, November 2002.

Pensioners

Vera Baird: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to encourage those pensioners who resent means-testing to obtain the benefit of the new pension credit.

Ian McCartney: Under Pension Credit pensioners will not be subjected to the old weekly means test, which will be replaced by a new form of assessment that is much less intrusive. Claiming Pension Credit will involve a simple phone call on a free telephone line making it easy to apply for. From age 65 most pensioners will have their entitlement fixed for five years. Only significant changes in their circumstances such as marriage, change of address or death of a partner will have to be reported.

Pensioners

David Atkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what her estimate is of the number of pensioners entitled to the pension credit.

Ian McCartney: The number of individuals estimated to be eligible for Pension Credit is 4.9 million (3.8 million pensioner households).

Pensioners

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when the first pensioners not currently receiving their pensions by ACT will receive a letter from his Department setting out the future options for their pension payment; and if he will place in the Library a copy of the letter that has been sent to such pensioners in pilot areas.

Malcolm Wicks: holding answer 28 March 2003
	The Department is issuing individual mailings to customers to inform them of the move to Direct Payment. For pension customers this began in January 2003 and will continue until around October 2004. In addition to this we are planning to run national and regional press advertising this month and plan further advertising from May onwards. The aim is to educate our customers about the changes, the options they have and the action they should take. It will be up to the individual to decide the option that best meets their needs and circumstances.
	A copy of the letter has been placed in the Library.

Pensioners

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to increase the basic state pension; and if he will re-introduce the link to earnings.

Ian McCartney: We have already announced that from April 2003, the basic state pension will increase to £77.45 for single pensioners and to £123. 80 for married couples. Additionally, the minimum income guarantee will increase to £102.10 for single pensioners and £155.80 for couples. Restoring the earnings link does nothing to help poorer pensioners. We will be spending around £7.5 billion extra on pensioners in 2003–04 as a result of measures introduced since 1997. This includes around £3.5 billion that is being spent on the poorest third of pensioners—almost six times as much as an earnings link in the basic state pension since 1998 would have given them. Increases in the basic state pension over the last three years have given single pensioners £1.10 a week more than an earnings link would have given them and £1.75 a week more for couples.

Staff Travel

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the cost was of travel by train by staff in his Department in 2002.

Ian McCartney: The DWP rail travel contract is with Qjump. The contract came into force with effect from February 2002. Details of expenditure since then are as follows:
	February 2002—December 2002 = £10,579,961
	January 2003—February 2003 = £2,633,428

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Accreditation Service

Mark Field: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what support his Department has given to the Accreditation Awareness Campaign run by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service.

Christopher Leslie: The former Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, invited the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) to present its range of services to its staff in November 2001. That Department then sent UKAS a copy of its Business Plan setting out its main areas of work and invited UKAS to make contact with its officials where it perceived there was a mutual benefit.

Area-based Initiatives

Matthew Green: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister 
	(1)  if he will list area-based initiatives operating in the North East region, giving the (a) annual and (b) regional budget for each since 2000;
	(2)  if he will list the (a) annual budget and (b) regional budget for each area-based initiative operating in the East Midlands region in each year since 2000;
	(3)  if he will list area-based initiatives operating in the North West region, giving the (a) annual budget and (b) regional budget for each in each year since 2002;
	(4)  if he will list area-based initiatives operating in the Yorkshire and Humber region, giving the (a) annual budget and (b) regional budget for each in each year since 2000;
	(5)  if he will list area-based initiatives operating in the East of England region, giving the (a) annual budget and (b) regional budget for each in each year since 2000.

Barbara Roche: The following tables provide details of area-based initiatives in all regions that are the responsibility of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.
	
		ODPM area-based initiatives for 2000–01 -- £ million
		
			 Initiative North East Region South East Region East Region London Region North West Region West Midlands Region 
		
		
			 Neighbourhood Renewal Fund Not Established Not Established Not Established Not Established Not Established Not Established 
			 Wardens Schemes Not Established 0.147187 0.020455 0.283927 0.366662 0.041 
			 Neighbourhood Management Pilots Not Established Not Established Not Established Not Established Not Established Not Established 
			 New Deal For Communities 5.3 2.4 4.2 13.7 4.7 8.9 
			 Community Empowerment Fund Not Established Not Established Not Established Not Established Not Established Not Established 
			 Community Chest Not Established Not Established Not Established Not Established Not Established Not Established 
			 Community Learning Chest Not Established Not Established Not Established Not Established Not Established Not Established 
			 Coalfields 10.63 E5.27 Not Established Not Established 0.39 1.34 
			 Single Regeneration Budget 94.5 48.2 18.5 236.6 141.0 72.0 
			 European Structural Fund Objective One Not Established Not Established Not Established Not Established 505.906 Not Established 
			 European Structural Fund Objective Two 281.082 17.681 67.106 94.892 305.417 191.025 
		
	
	
		£ million
		
			 Initiative East Midlands Region Yorkshire and Humber Region South West Region 
		
		
			 Neighbourhood Renewal Fund Initiative North East Region Not Established 
			 Wardens Schemes 0.016203 0.111506 0.01 
			 Neighbourhood Management Pilots Not Established Not Established Not Established 
			 New Deal For Communities 0.03 7.0 2.6 
			 Community Empowerment Fund Not Established Not Established Not Established 
			 Community Chest Not Established Not Established Not Established 
			 Community Learning Chest Not Established Not Established Not Established 
			 Coalfields 10.07 15.89 0.091 
			 Single Regeneration Budget 34.4 100.7. 23.7 
			 European Structural Fund Objective One Not Established 466.175 183,812 
			 European Structural Fund Objective Two 77.645 227.291 67,615 
		
	
	
		ODPM area-based initiatives for 2001–02 -- £ million
		
			 Initiative North East Region South East Region East Region London Region North West Region West Midlands Region 
		
		
			  
			  
			 Neighbourhood Renewal Fund 26.48 2.28 1.748 41.02 54.094 26.992 
			 Wardens Schemes 0.729861 0.724474 0.282807 1.461726 1.712323 0.579772 
			 Neighbourhood Management Pilots 0.543249 0.189761 0.085792 0.332757 0.728838 0.255587 
			 New Deal For Communities 5.7 4.7 9.5 28.6 14.1 17.9 
			 Community Empowerment Fund 1.824502 0.436573 0.228033 2.654485 2.967299 1.132771  
			 Community Chest 1.442878 0.264003 0.149057 3.218024 2.567774 1.107349 
			 Community Learning Chest Not Established Not Established Not Established Not Established Not Established Not Established 
			 Coalfields 8.95 1.50 Not Established Not Established 0.97 2.25 
			 Single Regeneration Budget 96.8 59. 1 23.4 236.4 157.7 72.0 
			 European Structural Fund Objective One Not Established Not Established Not Established Not Established 497.168 Not Established 
			 European Structural Fund Objective Two 282.085 16.845 65.995 96.403 319.687 195.249 
		
	
	
		£ million
		
			 Initiative East Midlands Region Yorkshire and Humber Region South West Region 
		
		
			 Neighbourhood Renewal Fund 13.02 30.314 4.06 
			 Wardens Schemes 0.238657 0.850305 0.490 
			 Neighbourhood Management Pilots 0.263493 0.413704 0.372377 
			 New Deal For Communities 15.6 14.6 6.1 
			 Community Empowerment Fund 0.905246 1.386009 0.465082 
			 Community Chest 0.709180 1. 30051 5 0.313894 
			 Community Learning Chest Not Established Not Established Not Established 
			 Coalfields 8.70 7.95 0.089 
			 Single Regeneration Budget 27.9 118.5 26.7 
			 European Structural Fund Objective One Not Established 458.043 1 78,967  
			 European Structural Fund Objective Two 76.694 222.9 67,373  
		
	
	
		ODPM area-based initiatives for 2002–03 -- £ million
		
			 Initiative North East Region South East Region East Region London Region North West Region West Midlands Region 
		
		
			 Neighbourhood Renewal Fund 39.72 2.28 1.72 41.02 54.094 40.488 
			 Wardens Schemes 1.177386 1.288503 0.903256 5.189534 3.353741 2.050991 
			 Neighbourhood Management Pilots 0.432035 0.341 383 0.325338 0.468908 1.456524 0.522950 
			 New Deal For Communities 18.8 7.0 13.2 37.6 31.0 22.4 
			 Community Empowerment Fund 1.824502 0.436573 0.228033 2.654485 2.967299 1.132771 
			 Community Chest 2.1 6431 8 0.396004 0.223586 3.218024 3.851661 1.661023 
			 Community Learning Chest 0.5771 54 0.1 05601 0.059623 0.8581 40 1.027109 0.442939 
			 Coalfields 6.10 3.13 Not Established Not Established 0.68 3.27 
			 Single Regeneration Budget 85.9 40.4 33.0 212.1 131.2 71.0 
			 European Structural Fund Objective One Not Established Not Established Not Established Not Established 487.482 Not Established 
			 European Structural Fund Objective Two 282.516 15.959 64.731 97.747 304.682 199.2 
		
	
	
		£ million
		
			 Initiative East Midlands Region Yorkshire and Number Region South West Region 
		
		
			  
			  
			 Neighbourhood Renewal Fund 19.503 30.314 6.09 
			 Wardens Schemes 0.701 339 2.146799 1.116 
			 Neighbourhood Management Pilots 0.825055 0.981 200 0.485370 
			 New Deal For Communities 15.7 17.7 7.6 
			 Community Empowerment Fund 0.905246 1.386009 0.465082 
			 Community Chest 1.063770 1.950773 0.470842 
			 Community Learning Chest 0.283672 0.520206 0.125558 
			 Coalfields 16.15 10.52 0.995 
			 Single Regeneration Budget 32.2 117.3 22.3 
			 European Structural Fund Objective One Not Established 458.504 1 74,643  
			 European Structural Fund Objective Two 75.55 217.942 66,993 
		
	
	
		ODPM area-based initiatives annual budget -- £ million
		
			  Total annual budget 
			 Initiative 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 
		
		
			 Neighbourhood Renewal Fund Not Established 200 300 
			 Wardens Schemes 1.2 7.7 19.3 
			 Neighbourhood Management Pilots Not Established 4 11.1 
			 New Deal For Communities 48.8 126 170.9 
			 Community Empowerment Fund Not Established 12 12 
			 Community Chest Not Established 10 15 
			 Community Learning Chest Not Established Not Established 4 
			 Coalfields 43 30.8 41 
			 Single Regeneration Budget 769.6 819.0 746.07 
			 European Structural Fund Objective One 1,155,893 1,134,178 1,120,629 
			 European Structural Fund Objective Two 1,384,436 1, 372,080 1,358,323 
		
	
	The national figures given in the answer given to the hon. Member for Ludlow on 12 March 2003, Official Report, columns 321–22W, were indicative totals based on records held in the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. The national figures now are the aggregates of the regional figures provided by Regional Development Agencies. From April 2002 the Single Regeneration Budget was incorporated into the Regional Development Agency Single Pot.
	The regional figures for 2002–03 are estimates.
	The European Structural Fund Objective One and Two are budgeted on the calendar year from January to December.

Commercial Confidentiality

Rob Marris: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what guidance his Department issues to civil servants on how to deal with claims from organisations that the information they provide to the Department is commercially confidential.

Christopher Leslie: It is not standard practice to verify claims of commercial confidentiality on receiving information from organisations, as this issue is normally only relevant if the question arises as to whether or not the information should be disclosed to another party. The Code of Practice on Access to Government Information—and the guidance on the operation of the Code—helps officials determine whether such information should be disclosed or withheld in response to an individual request.
	This code provides a specific exemption—exemption 13—for a third party's commercial confidences. In deciding whether or not information should be withheld under this exemption, officials must consider whether "unwarranted disclosure would harm the competitive position of a third party". While it is ultimately up to the Office to determine, in accordance with the Code, whether to disclose the information, the third party whose interests may be adversely affected should normally be consulted in order to inform the Office's decision. Even where the exemption prima facie applies, the information in question must still be disclosed if there is an overriding public interest in disclosure, but disclosure of commercially confidential information without consent will usually be appropriate only where the risk to public health, public safety or the environment is substantial and specific.
	A decision to refuse requested information may be made without consultation with the supplier of information where the case for confidentiality is obvious and overwhelming.

EU Structural Funding

Ben Chapman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what estimate he has made of the amount of Objective One monies spent in each constituency in the last year for which figures are available.

Nick Raynsford: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given on 21 March 2003, Official Report, column 992W. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister does not estimate spending in constituencies as this would not provide a meaningful basis for analysis.

Fire Service

Archie Norman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many Fire Safety Officers have been employed by local authorities in each year since 1997.

Nick Raynsford: The information requested is tabled as follows:
	
		
			 Year Fire Safety Officers employed by Fire Authorities in England and Wales 
		
		
			 1997–98 1,679 
			 1998–99 1,738 
			 1999–2000 1,863 
			 2000–01 1,932 
			 2001–02 1,862 
		
	
	An increased emphasis on prevention is a central component of the Government's agenda to modernise the Fire Service. The Government's proposals will be set out in a White Paper to be published later in the year.

Fire Service

John Bercow: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many retained firefighters there were at each fire station in Buckinghamshire in 2002.

Nick Raynsford: The total number of retained firefighters at each fire station in Buckinghamshire in the year 2002 is shown in the table.
	
		
			 Name of station Number of retained firefighters 
		
		
			 Amersham 10 
			 Aylesbury 17 
			 Beaconsfield 8 
			 Bletchley 14 
			 Brill 7 
			 Broughton 13 
			 Buckingham 11 
			 Chesham 10 
			 Gerrards Cross (13)0 
			 Great Holm 10 
			 Great Missenden 10 
			 Haddenham 8 
			 High Wycombe 11 
			 Marlow 11 
			 Newport Pagnell (13)0 
			 Olney 11 
			 Princes 8 
			 Risborough — 
			 Stokenchurch 11 
			 Waddesdon 10 
			 Winslow 11 
			 Total : 191 
		
	
	(13) Gerrards Cross and Newport Pagnell fire stations are staffed by wholetime firefighters.

Fire Service

John Bercow: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list fire stations which (a) opened and (b) closed in Buckinghamshire in 2002.

Nick Raynsford: No fire stations have opened or closed in Buckinghamshire during this period.

Fire Service

John Bercow: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on progress towards a resolution of the fire service pay dispute.

Nick Raynsford: I refer the hon. Member to the statement that my right. hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister made to the House on 20 March, Official Report, column 1101.

Inspectorates

Archie Norman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many (a) staff and (b) staff engaged in inspection work have been employed by the Best Value Inspectorate in each year since its creation.

Nick Raynsford: The information requested in respect of the Inspection Directorate of the Audit Commission, which is responsible for carrying out best value inspections, is shown in the table.
	
		
			  Total staff employed by the Inspection Directorate Inspection Directorate staff engaged in inspection work 
		
		
			 1997–98 4 3 
			 1998–99 18 14 
			 1999–2000 73 58 
			 2000–01 324 262 
			 2001–02 438 332 
		
	
	Note:
	The Audit Commission's financial year runs from 1 November to 31 October.

Parliamentary Questions

Tim Loughton: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when the hon. Member for East Worthing and Shoreham will receive answers to his questions (a) 97398, (b) 97476 and (c) 97477 of 6 February.

Christopher Leslie: The questions tabled by the hon. Member for East Worthing and Shoreham were answered on 28 March 2003, Official Report, column. 484W.

Portsmouth (Urban Renewal)

Mike Hancock: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much money has been allocated for (a) housing improvements and (b) urban renewal areas in the Portsmouth area in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: The housing capital allocations made to Portsmouth in the years since 1997–98 are as follows:
	
		
			  £ million 
		
		
			 1997–98 7.3 
			 1998–99 8.7 
			 1999–2000 8.9 
			 2000–01 12.9 
			 2001–02 16.6 
			 2002–03 16.7 
			 2003–04 15.4 
		
	
	The figures cover housing annual capital guidelines (which include an element to be financed from authorities' capital receipts); the major repairs allowance; the Capital Receipts Initiative; and support for private sector renewal, disabled facilities and Cash Incentive Scheme grants. Estate Action scheme funding is excluded. There is no separate ring-fenced funding to support renewal areas. The reduction in 2003–04 mainly reflects a change in the local government capital finance system, which means the housing annual capital guidelines allocation no longer include an element assumed to be financed from authorities capital receipts.

Social Exclusion

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what estimate he has made of the number of people helped in social exclusion zones.

Barbara Roche: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is directing additional resources at a number of the most deprived and socially excluded areas of England.
	In terms of the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund (NRF) a total of 88 local authority districts receive support. 19.6 million people live in these areas, based on the 2001 Census. Not all of these people are socially excluded or live in deprived areas. It is the task of the local strategic partnerships, community empowerment networks and the local communities in these places to direct NRF resources and so improve service delivery to people living in the areas of most need.
	In terms of the New Deal for Communities (NDC), some 200,000 people live in the 39 NDC partnership areas according to estimates from the NDC evaluation.

HEALTH

Patients Choice (Battersea)

Martin Linton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what treatments are available to patients in Battersea under Patients Choice at hospitals other than those to which they were originally referred; and if he will make a statement.

John Hutton: Patients in Battersea are already able to choose an alternative hospital under the London patient choice project for cataract operations and also under the national coronary heart disease scheme for heart operations.
	From the end of March 2003 these patients will be offering a similar choice in ear, nose and throat, general surgery and orthopaedics. The scheme will roll out to other surgical specialties such as gynaecology, urology and plastic surgery from summer 2003.
	From summer 2004, all patients who have already waited more than six months for treatment in all specialties will be eligible under patient choice.

Charge Income

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer of 26 February 2003, Official Report, column 620W, on Charge Income, if he will break down the forecast increase received from each type of charge in (a) 2003–04, (b) 2004–05 and (c) 2005–06.

John Hutton: The forecasts for charge income provided in my answer of 26 February 2003, Official Report, column 620W, were calculated by assuming that total charge income in 2002–03 of £923 million would grow in line with inflation. They were not built up from estimates of the individual charge elements which, in practice, will be subject to a number of factors, including future decisions on charge levels and volume trends in the services in question, some of which are demand led. The forecasts are subject to regular review and revision and we now have more details about forecasts for 2003–04, which take account of new prescription charges as of 1 April 2003, announced on 10 March. These are shown in the table. We do not have a breakdown of the charges for 2004–05 and 2005–06.
	
		Forecasts for charge income 2003–04
		
			  £ million 
		
		
			 Dental Charge income(14) 499 
			 Prescription charges income 446 
			 Welfare food sales of subsidised dried milk(15) 2 
			 NHS Pensions Agency data on review of pension mis-selling(15) 1 
			   
			 Total 948 
		
	
	(14) Includes an estimated £90 million of charge income which may be generated within Personal Dental Service pilot, dependant upon the scale of new pilots to be approved.
	(15) 2002–03 forecasts uplifted by the December 2002 GDP deflator of 2.25 per cent.

Food Standards

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the standards imposed on the importation of chicken into the United Kingdom.

Hazel Blears: I am advised by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) that the import of chicken from countries outside the European Union is the subject of strict legislation. Chicken must be slaughtered and processed in countries and premises to meet food safety standards at least equivalent to those required within the EU. In addition, it has to meet quality standards required by European Community Marketing Regulations. Third countries must carry out checks on premises to ensure that the required standards are maintained, and take action to deal with failing establishments. The EU also monitors establishments in third countries and can take action to deal with individual establishments or a country that fails to exert appropriate checks and controls.
	Chicken from third countries can only be imported into the EU through designated border inspection posts following prior notification. It is subject to 100 per cent., documentary and identity checks and prescribed levels of physical checks, according to the type of product and country of origin.
	Chicken produced in another EU member states can be traded freely with other member states and is not subject to routine checks at United Kingdom ports. However, the hygiene and quality standards are enforced by each member state. In the UK, these checks are carried out by local authorities.

Food Standards

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures he will take to ensure that all imported foodstuffs meet United Kingdom food standard regulations.

Hazel Blears: I am advised by the Food Standards Agency (FSA), which has responsibility for food safety matters, that the European Union operates a strict system of controls on imports of products of animal origin from countries outside the EU. All products of animal origin must be pre-notified and presented to a border inspection post. Consignments are subject to 100 per cent., documentary and identity checks and physical checks at a level prescribed by the EU, according to the country of origin and type of product. Products not of animal origin can enter the United Kingdom from third countries, through any sea or airport and are subject to checks, according to the type of product and the country of origin and any rules in place in the EU.
	The FSA is working closely with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and Her Majesty's Customs and Excise on imported food issues, as part of a cross-government action plan to further improve enforcement and control of illegal imports. Co-ordination arrangements between the FSA, HM Customs and Excise and Defra are being strengthened to achieve a step-change improvement in controls on the illegal import of meat. HM Customs and Excise is taking the lead responsibility for detection of smuggled imports of meat.

Community Care (Direct Payments) Act

Andrew Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will amend regulation 3 of the Community Care (Direct Payments) Act 1996 to allow the spouse of the payee and a person who lives with the payee as his or her spouse to act as paid carer for a disabled person.

Jacqui Smith: The 1996 regulations state that direct payments cannot be used to employ spouses or certain other close relatives. The Community Care, Services for Carers and Children's Services (Direct Payments) (England) Regulations 2003, which, subject to Parliamentary approval, will come into force on 8 April, have relaxed this rule by permitting the employment of close relatives in exceptional circumstances.

Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he intends to reply to the letter to him dated 13 February from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Dr. M. Gibbs and Dr. S. Hudson.

Alan Milburn: A reply was sent to my right hon. Friend on 28 March.

Harold Wood Disablement Services Centre

Angela Watkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what funding has been made available for cosmesis in prosthetic services at Harold Wood Disablement Services Centre at Harold Wood Hospital in each of the last three years.

John Hutton: Funding for the Harold Wood Disablement Services Centre is drawn from a large number of primary care trusts (PCTs) in London and Essex. Funding for the provision of silicone cosmesis for prosthetic limbs is incorporated in the general revenue allocations to PCTs and not separately identified. Funding levels are reviewed annually between the Harold Wood Disablement Services Centre and the PCT commissioners.

Health Care Funds

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he will list the financial size of each centrally administered health care fund into which health authorities and primary care trusts can bid; and if he will make a statement.

John Hutton: Information on central funding against which national health service organisations can bid over the period 2003–04 to 2005–06 is shown in the table.
	
		Figures in £000
		
			 Budget 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 Comment 
		
		
			 Revenue funding
			 National Institute of Mental Health (NIMHE) 2,000 2,000 2,000 Bids may be invited from private organisations or development centres of NIMHE 
			 Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services Development 200 200 200 No national bidding process is expected but bids for specific schemes may be requested 
			 Older People National Service Framework Development 0 2,830 2,850 A bidding process for particular projects may take place 
			 Teaching Primary Care Trusts 4,000 3,972 4,000 Targeted invitations to PCTs will be issued 
			 Child care 15,000 14,895 15,000 Initially allocated to Workforce Development Confederations on the basis of a formula—some of whom may then invite bids locally 
			 Equal Opportunities 250 250 250 Bidding for staff support networks 
			 Community Services for people with severe personality disorder (DSPD) 0 2,000 0 Bidding process to be open to specific PCTs and the independent sector 
			 DSPD service development 0 3,900 6,800 Bidding process to be open to specific PCTs and the independent sector  
			 Long term low secure accommodation 0 2,790 5,000 Bidding process to be open to specific PCTs and the independent sector 
			 Minimise experience of out of area treatment 0 900 0 Bidding process limited to regional centres of the NIMHE 
			 Reduce suicide in relation to prevention strategy 0 4,400 4,400 Bidding process limited to regional centres of the NIMHE 
			 Support the re-engineering of services—waiting times 0 2,029 2,700 Bidding process limited to regional centres of the NIMHE 
			 Sexual health (including chlamydia screening) 17,500 12,395 12,500 DoH policy leads will be inviting expressions of interest from PCTs 
			 Rare conditions—pathology 0 300 600 Bidding for development of three histopathology training schools 
			 Sub-total (revenue) 38,950 52,861 56,300  
			  
			 Capital funding
			 Improving the provision of decontamination services in the NHS 26,000 13,000 43,000 NHS Trusts will be invited to submit bids 
			 Modernising hospital manufacturing of medicines 4,000 24,000 14,000 NHS Trusts will be invited to submit bids 
			 Pathology modernisation 150 500 0 NHS Trusts will be invited to submit bids 
			 Sub-total (capital) 30,150 37,500 57,000  
			  
			 Total 69,100 90,361 113,300

Health Protection Agency

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his Answer of 6 March 2003, Official Report, column 1203W, on Getting Ahead of the Curve, if he will estimate the short-term transitional costs in establishing the Health Protection Agency; how these costs will be incurred; and what proposals he has to cut services to meet these costs from within existing resources.

Hazel Blears: There have been and will continue to be some transitional costs.
	Initial set-up costs
	These comprise largely the costs of a small implementation team and the input of the constituent organizations, which will form the Health Protection Agency (HPA).
	These costs, which are in the region of 400,000 to 500,000, have been met from the funding of the organizations moving into the HPA. As staff contributed from a wide range of specialisms, there has been no loss in outputs.
	Short to medium term transitional costs
	These comprise the establishment of a small separate headquarters for the corporate functions of the HPA pending rationalization of the HPA estate. The cost will be in the region of £500,000 to £600,000 per annum; and
	the possibility of a small number of redundancies if—following the application of the change management protocol for filling posts—some staff are left without jobs. This is difficult to quantify at present as organizational structures have not yet been established.
	These will be funded from the HPA's allocation from the Department and also underspends/surpluses in 2003–04, which will be rolled forward across the first two to three years of the HPA.
	Underspends of almost £3 million revenue and £2.5 million capital have been identified within the organizations which will be subsumed into the HPA; the Public Health Laboratory Service, the National Radiological Protection Board and the Centre for Applied Microbiology and Research (CAMR). This is almost entirely slippage of programmes; there have been no cut backs. In addition CAMR has had a very successful trading year, which has resulted in a cash surplus of £5 million to put towards transitional costs.

Healthy Living Centre Initiative

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many applications for funding from the Healthy Living Centre initiative have been received from projects based in Buckinghamshire; and what the outcome was in each case.

Richard Caborn: I have been asked to reply.
	The New Opportunities Fund received six applications under the Healthy Living Centres programme from Buckinghamshire. One of these applications was successful:
	Vale of Aylesbury Primary Care Trust have been awarded £753,906 for the South Court and Walton Court Healthy Living Centre.

Medical Profession (Self-Regulation)

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will withdraw from the medical profession the provision for self-regulation.

John Hutton: No. Self-regulation of the health professions has been a feature of the national health service since its inception. The Government remain committed to modern, patient-centred professionally led regulation.

NHS Facilities

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list (a) NHS trusts which have wards which do not meet the single sex accommodation standards, (b) NHS trusts which do not meet the additional safety requirements for mentally ill patients and (c) trusts which do not meet the standards for separate lavatory and washing facilities.

John Hutton: holding answer 13 March 2003
	The majority of National Health Service trusts were successful in eliminating mixed sex accommodation by the target date. Over 98 per cent, of wards now meet our guidelines. The remainder will comply once current Private Finance Initiatives and other building projects in 24 NHS trusts are completed.
	These projects affect only 164 out of 10,000 wards—less than two per cent., of all wards. To name the trusts involved would give a false impression that the whole trust is not compliant when that is clearly not the case.

Foundation Trusts

Howard Flight: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether NHS foundation trusts are to be required to reinvest all year-end financial surpluses in ways consistent with the purpose of health-related activity carried out in the public interest.

John Hutton: Subject to parliamentary approval, a national health service foundation trust may retain any year-end financial surpluses, subject to the requirement that they are reinvested in ways consistent with its primary purpose, which is to provide NHS services to NHS patients.

NHS Funding

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list for each (a) NHS region, (b) health authority and (c) NHS trust for each quarter for (i) 1999, (ii) 2000 and (iii) 2001 the (A) monetary value of approvals to use (1) capital and (2) revenue for capital purposes, (B) number of approvals and (C) total capital allocation.

John Hutton: holding answer 5 March 2003
	The information requested on capital, revenue transferred for capital purposes, and total capital allocations has been placed in the Library. The Department does not collect details of the number of capital approvals.

Drug Misuse

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the practice of automatic detoxification of patients stabilised in the community on substitute prescriptions has been discontinued.

Hazel Blears: The Department of Health has never endorsed a policy of automatic detoxification of heroin misusers. Therefore, it would be inaccurate to say that the policy of automatic detoxification of patients stabilised in the community on substitute prescriptions has been discontinued. The Department's view is set out in its "Drug Misuse and Dependence—Guidelines on Clinical Management (1999)", which states:
	"It is important to tailor the treatment needs to those of the individual needs of the presenting patient, especially where substitute treatment for dependence is concerned.
	A dose reduction intervention should be shaped by a realistic appraisal of jointly agreed treatment goals and outcomes between the patient, the doctor and other members involved in the patient's care.
	Treatment aims and goals should be adjusted accordingly depending on the patients progress.
	Methadone maintenance treatment, incorporating psychosocial interventions, can enable patients to achieve stability, reduce their drug misuse and criminal activity, and improve health. For these reasons such treatment should form an important part of drug misuse services.
	There is now a choice of substances available for use in opiate maintenance prescribing. There is a need to monitor research progress in this field and to adjust future treatments in the light of new treatment evaluations."

Primary Care Trusts

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the allocations per head of population to each primary care trust in England are for (a) 2002–03 and (b) 2003–04.

John Hutton: Primary care trust revenue allocations per unweighted head of population in 2002–03 and per weighted head and unweighted head of population in 2003–04 have been placed in the Library.
	In 2002–03 the Department allocated to health authorities which allocated to their constituent primary care trusts. The Department calculated 2002–03 unweighted primary care trust populations in preparation for direct allocations to primary care trusts in 2003–04. But 2002–03 weighted primary care trust populations were not calculated centrally.

Primary Care Trusts

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what role strategic health authorities have in ensuring that primary care trusts continue to commission the full range of specialist services.

John Hutton: Strategic health authorities are responsible for the oversight and performance management of the commissioning arrangements by primary care trusts. This includes the arrangements for specialised services.

Private Health Schemes

Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his Answer of 11 March 2003, Official Report, column 246W, on private health schemes, what procedures are in place to monitor national health service trusts and primary care trusts to ensure that the offering of private patient services is not interfering with the performance by a trust of its functions or of its obligations under NHS contracts.

John Hutton: Strategic health authorities are responsible for the performance management of national health service trusts and primary care trusts. It is, however, primarily for those trusts themselves to establish arrangements to monitor and review the appropriateness of their private patient provision.

Public Benefit Corporations

Howard Flight: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he has made an assessment of the optimum number of members of a public benefit corporation; whether the optimum number of members of a public benefit corporation will vary with the size of (a) its public constituency and (b) its staff constituency; and whether he has made an assessment of the optimum proportion of the number of members of a public benefit corporation in relation to the size of (i) its public constituency, (ii) its staff constituency and (iii) its public and staff constituencies combined.

John Hutton: Subject to parliamentary approval, national health service foundation trusts will be established as public benefit corporations. Minimum requirements for the membership of public benefit corporations are set out in schedule 1 of the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Bill. Beyond these minimum requirements, proposals for local membership will not be prescribed centrally as governance arrangements will need to be appropriate to the local circumstances of each NHS foundation trust.
	The Independent Regulator will only authorise an application for NHS foundation trust status if he is satisfied that, among other things, the constitution meets the statutory requirements and necessary steps to prepare for foundation status have been taken, including whether all sections of the community are fairly represented.

Public Benefit Corporations

Howard Flight: To ask the Secretary of State for Health in what ways the board of directors of a public benefit corporation will be accountable to (a) the members of the corporation and (b) the board of governors of the corporation.

John Hutton: Subject to parliamentary approval, national health service foundation trusts will be established as public benefit corporations. The minimum requirements for the constitution of public benefit corporations, including the accountability requirements for the board of directors, are set out in schedule 1 of the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Bill. Subject to approval by the Independent Regulator, individual NHS foundation trusts may add to these minimum requirements under their constitution.

Public Benefit Corporations

Howard Flight: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the board of governors of a public benefit corporation will have any role other than to appoint and set the terms of employment of the non-executive directors and the auditor.

John Hutton: Subject to Parliamentary approval, national health service foundation trusts will be set up as public benefit corporations. The minimum requirements for the constitution of public benefit corporations, including the role and function of the Board of Governors, are set out in Schedule 1 of the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Bill. Subject to the approval by the Independent Regulator, individual NHS foundation trusts may add to these minimum requirements under their constitution.

Public Benefit Corporations

Howard Flight: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether public benefit corporations will be able to pay dividends other than those paid to the Consolidated Fund; and to whom these dividends would be paid.

John Hutton: Subject to parliamentary approval, national health service foundation trusts will be set up as public benefit corporations. NHS foundation trusts will not pay dividends (apart from those payable on Public Dividend Capital).

Skin Cancer

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  if he will make a statement on the effect upon dermatology departments of waiting times for treatment of suspected skin cancer;
	(2)  whether his Department has undertaken an audit of the number of benign lesions which are being referred into secondary care because of waiting times for suspected cases of skin cancer.

Hazel Blears: A two-week out-patient waiting time standard was introduced for urgently referred cases of suspected skin cancer from October 2000. In the last quarter (October-December 2002), 98.7 per cent. of urgently referred patients with suspected skin cancer were seen within two weeks of urgent referral. We have issued general practitioner cancer referral guidelines to assist GPs in determining those patients who need to be referred urgently to see a specialist within two weeks, those patients that can be referred for a routine appointment and those who can be safely watched at a primary care level. The referral guidelines are currently being reviewed by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence.
	The referral guidelines should be used to agree local referral criteria and referral pathways. The Department has not carried out a national audit of skin cancer referrals but all trusts have been encouraged to undertake local audit to enable the appropriateness of urgent and routine referrals against the guidelines to be fed back to referring GPs.

Skin Cancer

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what recent efforts his Department has made to publicise the availability of sun safety advice and information;
	(2)  how much money his Department has allocated to sun awareness campaigns in each year from 2003 to 2007;
	(3)  whether guidance has been issued to schools on how to protect school children from the sun.

Hazel Blears: A new sun awareness initiative, "SunSmart", was launched on 27 March by Cancer Research UK (CRUK) to make the public aware of the dangers of exposure to the sun. The campaign is based on the successful "SunSmart" campaign in Australia. The campaign has received funding of £120,000 from the United Kingdom Health Departments this year. We will evaluate the effectiveness of the campaign later in the year, with a view to deciding on future funding and campaigns.
	The SunSmart campaign consists of a poster and leaflet for the public CRUK website redesign and links to other stakeholders, branding and design of "SunSmart", CRUK commissioned research at the Centre for Social Marketing and a part-time health promotion consultant at CRUK for the duration of the campaign.
	The campaign's aim is to increase the profile of the issue of skin cancer and methods of effective sun protection.
	The key objectives are to increase knowledge of the causes of skin cancer, increase awareness of actions that can be taken to prevent skin cancer and to influence positively attitudes to sun protection.
	Subject to further funding, longer-term aims are to reduce sunlight exposure through changes in behaviour and environment, increase the proportion of people reporting with early stage disease and decrease the proportion of people presenting with late tumours.
	The campaign's key messages have been disseminated by way of an alert to the campaign and mailshot pack of posters and leaflets to all GP surgeries and health promotion units nationally, an alert to the campaign and mailshot to secondary schools with 3,500 leaflets and posters and a series of press events over summer 2003 with leaflets/posters targeted in cities and seaside resorts.
	We developed the "SunSafe" web pages last year, which were designed with children in mind, on the Department of Health website at www.doh.gov.uk/ sunsafe. These will continue. Sun awareness information is also contained on the Wired For Health website at www.wiredforhealth.gov.uk/teaching/sun/intro.html.
	We continue to fund annually the Meteorological Office to provide the daily ultra-violet index in the media—on television, radio and the Meteorological Office website.
	The Department also provides core funding to the National Radiological Protection Board, which has expertise on ultra-violet radiation issues.

Skin Cancer

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to increase the number of clinical nurse specialists in skin cancer.

Hazel Blears: The Department of Health Workforce Census shows that, since the launch of the NHS Plan, from September 1999 to September 2001, there was a net increase in nurses working in the national health service of 20,740. This increase will enable the recruitment of additional nurses to care for cancer patients. This will include increases in cancer-site specific nurse specialists where need has been identified through local workforce planning.

Timber

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much is being spent on timber in the redevelopment of Charing Cross Hospital; which company is providing the doors for this redevelopment; what types of wood will be used in the manufacture of the doors; and what efforts have been made to ensure that the timber used is being sourced from legal and sustainable sources.

John Hutton: The redevelopment at Charing Cross is being done by West London Mental Health National Health Service Trust. The company responsible for all of the carpentry is called Cavendish Joinery. All external doors are made of aluminium and glass. The internal doors are being made from softwood from coniferous sources. Cavendish Joinery has confirmed to the Trust that all wood is from managed and sustainable sources. There are a total of 500 doors at £400 each, totalling £200,000.